


Angels and Demons

by Cluelesse



Series: James and Leila: Guide to the Human World [2]
Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Apologies, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Lucid Dreaming, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Punishment, Sick Demons, Spoilers Lesson 43-44, Time Travel, demonic angels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:16:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28503612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cluelesse/pseuds/Cluelesse
Summary: Solomon's cooking has extreme effects on most of the demon brothers.Everyone who feels well enough, tries to find a solution for it. One thing is clear though: They have to learn to say 'no' to Solomon.This series is a retelling of events that happen in the game. It doesn't follow the story exactly, but it does in general. Spoilers for Lesson 43-44
Relationships: Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Male Character(s), Belphegor (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Belphegor (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Male Character(s), Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: James and Leila: Guide to the Human World [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2051451
Comments: 28
Kudos: 14





	1. They’re all sick?!

**Author's Note:**

> This Part, and future parts, will most likely update very slowly as I progress through the Lessons. (And try to spin it so that it will fit with my own story)
> 
> This Part will contain spoilers from Lesson 43-44  
> It doesn't follow the story exactly, but it does in general.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes, they're all sick.

When I come down for breakfast the next morning, I almost trip over Leila’s packed up suitcase, which seems to be tossed into the hall with some aggression. A still empty cat carrier and Pandora’s car seat, also still empty, neatly placed next to each other in another corner.

Oh no! Seems she has already made her decision.

“Oy! Ya can’t just leave, human. I’m not lettin’ ya leave!” I hear Mammon’s loud voice, pleading in the living room. “Ya gotta give ‘em a chance to apologize, right?”

“Of course I will, Mammon.” I hear Leila say with her soft voice, but it sounds sad and determined. “But I can’t raise a baby in this house of chaos. You know what happened, yesterday. They almost tore down the house, with Pandora in it! And they were fighting over **me**! They promised not to do that!”

I peek around the corner, but don’t step into the room yet. “It’s ‘cause they all love ya.” It looks like Mammon has put Leila into a seat, baby Pandora in her arms, and is pacing in front of her. Not letting her get up. “We all do! We don’t mean to be like this around ya.”

I decide to let Mammon try first. It’s best if our demons can convince her to stay. I know she would do anything for me if I ask it of her, but I don’t want her to be unhappy.

“Still you tossed my suitcase away from me like some kind of crazy person.” She snaps, but then immediately, when she sees his blush of shame. “It’s okay, Mammon. I know you didn’t mean that either. But you just proved my point with it…”

“C’mon, Leila.” He pleads. “We gotta get used to ya havin’ a baby now! I know that! But we’re all tryin’ okay? Ya only just got here two days ago! Ya can’t just leave us over ONE mistake.”

“But it won’t be just ONE mistake!” She yells back now. This is not starting to look good! “It will be one mistake after another, just like last year! And I can’t be exhausted and frightened and angry all the time, anymore! I need to take care of myself to take care of Pandora! It is MY turn to be selfish now!”

Mammon collapses next to her on the couch, letting out a huge sigh. “I know. I know. It would be best for Pandora. Probably. But ya gotta understand, we are really tryin’! We are! Please, give us more chances.”

“More chances?” Despite everything Leila’s sense of humor surfaces and she laughs a little, hearing that. “Multiple?”

“Yeah…” Mammon gives her his crooked grin. He rubs his neck a bit embarrassed. “One more chance probably ain’t gonna be enough, ya know. We’re still demons. But each and every one of us loves ya and the little one.”

She laughs fully now. “Allright.” She smiles at him and I sigh with relief. “Seven more chances. One for each one of you idiots. Deal?”

“Eh, allright.” Mammon contemplates, but is grinning broadly as he embraces her. “I guess I can’t get a better deal outta ya, anyway. Greedy little human.” He tells her fondly.

She leans into his embrace and whispers. “I’m glad you stopped me, Mammon.” Then gives him a kiss on both his cheeks, making him blush, but he beams. “I actually didn’t want to leave. I don’t want to leave Satan and Belphie… And all of you idiots, but I felt so lost…”

“I know, ya can’t run away from the Great Mammon, can ya?” He jokes, gently taking Pandora in his arms to play with her and his face relaxes completely.

She giggles. “Don't make me regret it!” She threatens him, teasingly.

That’s when I enter the room exaggeratingly yawning, making Mammon yawn too in the process, letting out his tensions from earlier. “Hey guys, good morning!” I pretend like I didn’t just eavesdrop on their conversation. Though I’m sure Leila will tell me about it anyway.

“Man… I just can’t get used to the bright mornings in the Human World.” Mammon complains, after he’s finished with his huge yawn.

“Hey, why are you two the only ones down here?” I ask them. “What happened to everyone else?”

“Beats me.” Mammon shrugs. “I haven’t seen anyone yet. Nobody’s makin’ breakfast either. Grr… Who was in charge of makin’ it this morning?”

Leila walks to the whiteboard where all the chores are noted, to check. “Says here… Lucifer and Satan? You think they murdered each other in the kitchen?” She jokes, but we all think that it is a valid possibility.

“Guess you get to do it now, mammon. Chop chop!” I tease him and he growls.

“Me? Why’s it suddenly MY job now, huh? I don’t think so!” He shouts, walking out of the room with large strides. “I’m gonna go wake the others up and I’m not gonna be gentle about it. Seriously, how could every single one of ‘em sleep in like this? What’s wrong with ‘em?”

We go to Lucifer's room first. To our surprise he is still in bed, it’s not like him to be tardy like that!

“Yo, Lucifer! What’s goin’ on?!” Mammon shouts and we hear a groan coming from the bed as a reaction. “I mean, what gives? It’s morning, but ya are still asleep? Is this a sign of the end times or somethin’?

Lucifer tries to glare at him from under his blankets, but he can barely manage to open his eyes. So instead he sighs and admits. “... I feel sick…” He lets out a smelly burp. “Pardon me…”

“Wha?”

“It hit me in the middle of the night. The smell and flavor of Solomon’s cooking suddenly came boiling back up… I’ve felt sick ever since… I’m going back to sleep.” He closes his eyes and pulls the covers over his head again.

“For real? Whoa…” Mammon stares at his older brother like he can’t believe it.

Leila pulls us with her out of his room. “Come on, let’s see how the others are doing…”

Satan isn’t doing any better. He’s also still in bed, but trying to get up for Leila. But he gives up on it quickly.

“Man, what is UP with Solomon’s cooking?” He groans, then also lets out one of those stinky burps. “I mean, it sat dormant for hours, but then started attacking from the inside. And we’re DEMONS. I didn’t think it was possible for food to do that… Ughh…” He collapses in bed again.

“Satan? Oy, Satan!” Mammon tries to wake him up, but it’s no use. “He’s out cold.”

“Maybe Solomon’s cooking works differently with the gastric acid of demons? Like a chemical reaction going wrong?” Leila theorizes. “They all smell… Very bad… I mean, they all can eat or drink poison in the Devildom and don’t feel a thing, so why is Solomon’s food having this effect on them?”

“Didn’t you eat it as well, Mammon?” I ask him.

“Only that one bite.” He answers. “Most of it I stuffed in my jacket and threw out as soon as I got the chance. And I poured the tea into a vase with flowers.”

“Hm, yeah.” Leila nods. “The others probably ate more than that. You’re good at sleight of hand, being the crook that you are, which probably saved you from this fate…”

When we reach the twins room, we hear a weak, but panicked voice coming from there.

“Beel! Stay with me, Beel!”

We rush in and see Beelzebub lying on his bed, clutching his stomach. But not from hunger. It looks like he is in pain. He isn’t moving either. Belphegor tries to shake him, but he’s looking a bit pale, himself. Leila is quick to put her mate in his own bed, before he collapses.

“So Beel’s sick too?” Mammon asks. “But maybe he’s just dyin’ of hunger again? I mean, this is Beel…

“I don’t... want to eat... anything…” Beelzebub manages to say.

We all look at each other in shock after that statement. Beelzebub doesn’t want to eat? Is this really Beelzebub? Or is it just that bad?

“I don’t know what to do.” Belphegor looks like he wants to come out of bed again to help his brother, but Leila won’t let him. “I think Beel might be dying…”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” She tells him, tucking him tightly under his blankets, then she sits on the edge of his bed against the headboard, to keep him there. “You’re demons and you can’t die from Human World cooking. Not even when it’s cooked by Solomon. How come you are sick too though, Belphie?”

“I had some custard as a midnight snack. And ever since then I’ve had a headache…” He says to her as he snuggles into her side. “Maybe that might not have been custard… It’s possible it was some sort of gelatin dessert Solomon concocted… I’m going back to sleep.”

Leila casts the healing spell that can clear headaches, we learned from Satan last year, over him and he falls asleep instantly. She sighs, a sad expression on her face. “Let’s go see the others…”

“Yeah… Solomon's cooking is a force to be reckoned with…”

We try Leviathan’s door, but nobody is answering. So for now we decide to go see how Asmodeus is doing. He is also sick. Dramatically splayed out on his bed with a moist towel on his head.

“This is your fault you know, Mammon.” He complains. “Remember when you brought me that bottled fruit water last night after I finished my bath?”

“Yeah, I found it in the fridge. I thought it was yours.”

“Well, it wasn’t. But ever since I drank it, I’ve been hearing things. Things that aren’t there…” His eyes shift suddenly to a corner of his room and we all look: Nothing is there. Asmodeus groans annoyed. “See? It’s exhausting! I just know it’s because of that ‘water’.” He points to the bottle next to his bed.

“Don’t blame Mammon, Asmo.” Leila says as she casts a purifying spell over the water in the bottle. She must have learned that magic from the Celestial Realm. “He couldn’t have known that Solomon even did something to the water bottles in the fridge. Here.” She hands Asmodeus the bottle. “It should be fine to drink now. Have a sip, I think it will help.”

Asmodeus looks suspiciously at the bottle, but still does as she says. It looks like it is working, because he smiles. “I’m going to sleep it off for a bit now…”

“We’ll go to the cafe some other time then…” Leila whispers, but I see her face disappointed.

“Solomon’s cooking should be considered a lethal weapon…” Mammon shakes his head and sighs as we leave Asmodeus bedroom and go downstairs again.

“Yeah, I think it's weird though.” Leila says frowning. “I’ve known all my life that he’s been a bad cook, but nobody in my family ever had this kind of food poisoning from it. Either he’s been experimenting with ingredients or it must be because the demonic digestive system works differently from that of humans with his cooking. If he has been experimenting and just served his experiments without testing them first, I’ll have a word with him about this.”

“Looks like the only ones who came out of this unharmed are us three.” I say. “I think we need to buy some medicine for them and some breakfast for us.”

“Yeah, sounds like the entire refrigerator is contaminated with stuff that Solomon made. We gotta throw it all out and buy new groceries.” Mammon agrees with me.

“I can probably work with Human World medicine and make a medicinal potion that will work effectively on demons.” Leila is already brewing the potion in her mind, if the look on her face tells me anything. “Normal medicine probably won’t work on them…”

We make our way to the large car that we’re renting. It fits all of us if we need to, plus there’s room for Pandora’s car seat. Leila brings her with us and places her in the back. Then she sits behind the wheel.

We can see in the mirror that she has a sad expression on her face again. I can see on Mammon's face that he knows what she’s feeling through his bond with her. And it makes him angry, as he suddenly takes out his DDD, while Leila is driving us to town.

**House of Lamentation (old) (8)**

< **Mammon:** Y’all are jerks to Leila!  
< **Mammon:** None of ya even said sorry.  
< **Asmodeus:** We’re sick, Mammon.  
< **Satan:** Yeah, don’t be such a dimwit.  
< **Belphegor:** Why are you even harassing us now, while we’re sick?  
< **Mammon:** OY! I saved your stupid asses today!  
< **Asmodeus:** I call fluffing up my pillow hardly saving my ass. **(Rolling-Eyes-Demon sticker)**  
< **Lucifer:** Quiet, Asmo. Let him explain.  
< **Mammon:** Leila was goin’ to leave this morning.  
< **Mammon:** Got herself all ready to go: suitcase, baby and cat!

Everyone reacts with Shocked-Demon stickers.

< **Mammon:** That’s right! ‘Cause ya bunch of dumbasses broke your promise not to fight over her! Almost tore down the Manor with her baby in it!  
> **James:** I did see that suitcase in the hallway, yeah. And I saw her crying yesterday.  
> **James:** You guys promised to apologize.  
< **Mammon:** I stopped her. Beggin’ her for giving us another chance.  
< **Mammon:** While it shoulda been YOU who did the beggin’!  
< **Mammon:** And ya couldn’t even say sorry to her this mornin’!  
< **Mammon:** She’s really sad now! Y’all don’t deserve her! Or the extra chances she gave ya!  
< **Satan:** Dammit.  
< **Satan:** I’m going to make it up to her. I promise, Mammon.  
< **Belphegor:** Me too.  
< **Asmodeus:** I will apologize as soon as I see her again, I promise.  
< **Satan:** But ugh… I’m so sick…  
< **Belphegor:** Yeah, as soon as I feel better…  
< **Mammon:** Ugh! IDIOTS!  
< **Lucifer:** Mammon, good job stopping her.  
< **Lucifer:** Did you say multiple chances?  
< **Mammon:** ‘Course! I ain’t the Great Mammon if I couldn’t get ya a good Deal!  
< **Mammon:** She gave us seven more chances. One for each of us. Ya better not blow it! **(Threatening-Demon sticker)**  
< **Lucifer:** Well done, Mammon.  
< **Satan:** Yeah. Thanks Mammon.  
< **Belphegor: (Thanking-Demon sticker)**

Mammon blushes as he reads the thanks from his brothers. His anger fades from his face almost immediately. It’s all he needs sometimes: A little recognition that he is a good brother to them and he is all happy. In his next texts he is himself again.

< **Mammon:** Anyway, we’re out to get new groceries and medicine. So Leila can cook y’all a medicinal potion.  
< **Mammon:** Is there anything any of ya want me to pick up?  
< **Mammon:** If so, ya got one minute to respond.  
< **Leviathan:** Vol. 1 of the Tale of the Seven Lords in-depth fan guide celebrating the upcoming TV adaption.  
< **Asmodeus:** A Deor limited-edition makeup set. The one with the sparkling salmon pink foundation case.  
< **Belphegor:** A super-comfy memory foam pillow.  
< **Beelzebub:** I want one of those trucks Belphie told us about. The ones that play music and sell ice cream.  
< **Satan:** I need more bookshelves.  
< **Lucifer:** I need a strong, high-quality rope. One that would be perfect for stringing up a certain sorcerer.  
< **Mammon:** Ya know what? Suddenly the text is all garbled. I can’t read any of your messages. Y’all can get those things yourself, once Leila cooked ya up your medicine. See ya later!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... I thought it was high time that Mammon stood up against his brothers. Even if he didn't do it for himself, he would definitely do it for his humans. :)  
> I hope you agree!


	2. Shopping again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shopping. It's basically all we do, lately.

Leila has found a good parking space close to all locations we need to go to. After she has built up her stroller and put Pandora in it cozy under some light blankets, we’re ready to go.

“The Angel’s Halo.” Mammon says, as we pass by a café that has a big sign on the front: ‘opening day’. “Isn’t this the place Asmo wanted to go with you, Leila?”

“Yeah.” She smiles, trying to peek through the window. “I guess I’m going with you guys then?”

“I dunno.” Mammon checks out the sign with opening and closing times. “They’re still closed. And it’s gonna be a while before they open.”

“Let’s come back later.” I say as I see her disappointed face. “We can do our shopping first.”

“Yeah.” She smiles again. “I really want to go, so I’m glad you guys want it too!”

“‘Course!” Mammon throws his arm around her. “We’re gonna make it a kinda date for ya!”

“A date? Are you sure about that, Mammon?” She teases him.

He blushes, but isn’t backing up on his words. “Uh… Yeah, we should! ‘Cause ya deserve it, Leila! It’d be a chance for me to spend some time with the two of ya, here in the Human World. Not as part of some errand for Lucifer or whatever. Just us, havin’ a good time…”

She stops walking and gives him a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you Mammon. That is just what I want.”

“Yeah! Ya gotta have some fun in your life, right?” He beams and I laugh. They’re still so close after everything that happened. As soon as they’re together, they’re best friends again. He hugs her and gives her a kiss back on her hair.

“Allright, let’s do it! It’s a date!” I cheer, feeling excited now too.

“Heheheh. Lucky that the others are all stuck in bed.” Mammon snickers wickedly, being a demon again. “Now I got both of ya all to myself! I’ll have to thank Solomon later!”

Leila and I decide to not comment on that. It is honestly kind of nice to be with just one of the brothers at a time. Even Mammon is less loud now. He’s just chatting with us, having a good time, without having to defend himself for one reason or another.

“... And anyway, why do they gotta take everything to the extreme, huh? They’re always like that… Like, this one time Levi just had a bit of a fever, right? But he totally freaked out and turned Henry into Lotan.”

“Really?” Leila asks, surprised and interested. “He can do that? Interesting! I’m going to ask him how he did that…”

“Oy!” Mammon shouts shocked at her, making Pandora let out a small cry of fright in her sleep. He quickly covers his mouth as Leila giggles and soothes her. “Sorry.” He whispers.

“It’s fine, Mammon.” She reassures him. “These aren’t the kind of things that will make me walk out on all of you.”

“Oh good!” He sighs relieved. “But anyway… Leila, I know ya are crazy powerful and skilled and all, but… Please don'cha try to summon or create Lotan.”

“Levi said I can already, being in a pact with him…” She teases him, wiggling her fingers and Mammon backs away from her, mockingly holding up his hands

“I remember when Asmo was sick one time when I was in the Devildom the first year…” I change the subject back, laughing. Not that I think Leila will actually summon a monster into the Human World.

Mammon nods. “Yeah, he only had a cold, but all his fans showed up at the House to take care of him. We had to hide James in Lucifer’s secret study, because there was this huge crowd of demons and witches… Too dangerous for him. They ended up turnin’ it into a party!”

“I bet Lucifer loved that…” She giggles and Mammon grins, shaking his head

“He loved the part that I had to stay in his room, because it was the most secure.” I laugh with them. “But he hated everything else. I’m not sure what happened, but I did hear some magic spells being fired.”

“It was pretty brutal.” Mammon grins. “Asmo was so offended, in between his sneezing.”  
We all burst out laughing. “This time we’re in the Human World though. So we don’t have to worry about anything that crazy…”

“Yeah, I don’t know, Mammon.” I tell him. “It’s them we’re talking about, after all.”

“Eh, whatever.” He shrugs unconcerned. “Let’s just buy ‘em some medicine… With THIS! Lucifer’s credit card!”

Leila and I both roll our eyes. Of course Mammon cares about his brothers, but he wouldn’t buy something for them from his own money, if he can do it from someone else’s.

“Give us all the stomach medication ya got in this joint!” Mammon demands with his loud voice, as he bangs open the door at the pharmacist and barges through.

The people in the store all look up in shock. Probably thinking they’re about to be robbed. Seeing that, Leila bursts into giggles and follows him in with her stroller with Pandora in it. It saves him from having called the police on him, but it’s up to me to tell Mammon that this is not the way to buy medication, or anything, really, in the Human World.

“Mammon, first of all, you have to wait your turn.” I tell him as sternly as I can manage. Which is not very stern, admittedly. But I try. “Here, you have to draw a number and wait till it shows over there.”

“Really?” Mammon beams. “So this is some kinda lottery?” He starts browsing the displays behind the glass cabinets. “And those are the prizes? You humans sure are weird…”

Yeah… That will make people gossip. I can hardly hold in my own laughter as Leila is doubling over her stroller, tears rolling over her cheeks from laughter. Making Pandora let out her cute happy cries too. She always makes those sounds when she senses her mother is happy.

Anyway, we don’t seem to be dangerous this way, so the pharmacist lets it slide. Shrugging his shoulders, he continues helping the other customers in order of the numbers that are called. In the meantime, Mammon carelessly makes a fool of himself some more, amusing the other customers. Until our number is called.

“We want your best stomach medication, so that she can make it into a potion.” Mammon tells the pharmacist, while pointing with his thumb to Leila over his shoulder.

She rolls her eyes at Mammon, as the pharmacist goes into a rant over the dangers of messing with medicine and mixing it with other ingredients. She walks over to the counter and reassures him she will do nothing dangerous. Then, in one fluid transition, she starts discussing the effects and side effects of the several medications and the ingredients they’re made of.

While she is talking animatedly with him, taking notes, the pharmacist grows more and more enthousiast: Finally someone who knows about his work and actually wants to be informed by him! Eventually she decides on a couple different medications, after reassuring him again that she won’t give them all at once to her patients or do something else crazy with them. It is just for testing which one will work best.

In the meantime the store has become quite crowded, as Leila took her time to be informed. Everyone is staring after her as she walks her stroller out of the pharmacy again.

“We need to buy some herbs, some fruit and some honey.” She tells us with a smile, not noticing the attention she’s got. “I think we can buy most of that at the market? Let’s go there first.”

Mammon and I grin at each other as we follow her.

“Well, we bought the medicine to help them with the indigestion. Still… I doubt it’s gonna be any match for somethin’ as brutal as Solomon’s cooking.”

“That’s what you got me for.” Leila says very confidently. “I’ll fix it into a healing potion for them.”

“Eh, oh well.” Mammon still looks doubtful. “C’mon, let’s head to the market! After all, it looks like we’re probably gonna have to make dinner ourselves, too.”

“Yeah.” She nods. “Even when the potion works, apart from Beel they probably won’t be that hungry. And feeling too weakened to cook something for everyone.”

Mammon walks proudly in between us, his arm wrapped around Leila’s shoulders.

“Huh. You and me, headin’ to the market to buy groceries for dinner…” Mammon snickers behind his hand. “Like, is it just me, or does it sorta feel like we’re newlyweds? We even have a baby with us.”

“And what am I then?” I ask him teasingly. “The fifth wheel?”

Mammon shrugs, throwing an arm around my shoulders now too. “You’re the uncle, of course. That doesn’t change.”

“Well…” Leila rolls her eyes. “Just don’t let Satan or Belphie hear you talk like that. I doubt they will like it. They seem extra possessive right now.”

“Don’t worry, Leila. They know I’m not their competition.” Mammon just laughs loudly. “And if they’re to come after me, I’ll knock ‘em down a peg.”

His eyes flash, something I’ve never seen of Mammon. Apparently he is still pissed at them for making her sad and he won’t let his brothers start a fight over his human again. I think he is actually serious in his threat and will not be just shouting at them when it comes down to it.

Eventually we arrive at the crowded market and almost immediately the butcher we met yesterday starts a conversation with us, when he sees us.

“Ah, you’re back... “ He gives us all a broad smile and looks curiously from Mammon to Leila. I can already tell what is going through his mind. But he keeps it to himself for now and addresses me. “Welcome! Good to see you again.”

“Eh?” Mammon asks the butcher, surprised. “What’s the deal? Do ya know James, or somethin’?”

“Yes, you could say that.” The butcher nods, leaning on his counter. Obviously intent to find out more about the new people I’m with now. “He stopped by the shop yesterday, you see. With the tall ginger guy that is his lover.”

“Ah yeah!” Mammon smiles. “That’s my brother Beel!”

Leila and I nod in confirmation and the butcher grins. He’s one step closer to unraveling the mystery of the new family that arrived in the neighbourhood.

“So you must be the cousin.” He concludes, seeing Leila wiggling with the stroller with a bit of a fussy Pandora in it. She wants us to keep moving, because she enjoyed the ride so much. “Who is seen as the sister by most of the tall guys’ brothers, right?”

“I guess so?” Leila shyly answers, looking at me with raised eyebrows: _Have you been gossipping about me?_

“Then you must be one of the possible fathers of her baby?” The butcher now asks Mammon, who instantly turns beet red.

“Wha?” He sputters and denies. “No, I ain’t!”

Leila narrows her eyes at me: _What have you been talking about with this guy?!_  
 _Nothing special._ I laugh. _Just the truth._  
Her expression turns horrified, realizing what the truth must look like to people in the Human World.

Then she decides she doesn’t care what the butcher thinks and starts teasing Mammon. “I’ve never seen this man before in my life.” She tells the butcher with a straight face, Mammons arm still wrapped around her shoulder.

“Ah, I...I see…” The butcher looks very confused. The poor guy. If only he wasn’t so curious!

But Mammon isn’t having that! He grabs her by her shoulders, making her look at him. “Oy, human?! What are ya talkin’ about?! If that’s supposed to be a joke, it’s a real mean one!” He turns to the butcher who looks on worried that Leila was suddenly shouted at. - The only thing that saves us now, is Leila’s mischievous glimmer in her eyes and big grin. - “Now listen up!” He shouts at the butcher, who is blinking at us in stunned silence: What a strange family. “I was her FIRST!”

“Ah.” The butcher nods, finally understanding. “So you’re not the father of her baby, but you must be the third brother who is in love with her…” He has it all figured out now. He turns to me again. “I can understand why. Your cousin is really beautiful. Now, what can I help you with today?”

I place our order, while a giggling Leila is covering Mammon's mouth with her hand, before he can sputter about this newest accusation. We have confused the butcher enough for today.

After we have gathered all the groceries we needed from the market, Mammon can finally laugh about the silly situation.

“Seemed like that butcher totally thought we were a couple, huh? And that we lived together.” He grins broadly, then he sighs. “Sometimes I wish it were like that. Just us three and Pandora, livin’ together. Spendin’ the whole day together, stayin’ by each other’s side… No brothers around, wanting your attention. Wow. Just the thought of it is so nice that I can’t help but smile.”

“This has been nice and relatively quiet, today.” I admit to him to indulge him and he beams at me. “Though the others will come over non-stop to see us anyway…”

“Yeah, I guess we better just stay in the big house then, right?” Then he changes the subject. “Hey, are ya guys hungry too? C’mon, let’s go get somethin’ to eat! When is that café openin’ again?”

After having dropped our shopping bags in the car, - where Leila put a cooling spell on them. - we make our way to the Angel’s Halo again. Planning on finally getting our breakfast. Or you could say brunch, because it’s already getting pretty late in the morning and we’re all starting to get really hungry.

But on the way over there, Mammon stops by a deli. “Hey, this looks like it has pretty good food. There’s even a line of people here, which means it must be pretty popular, right? C’mon, let’s get in line.”

“But what about the Angel’s Halo?” Leila asks, her face disappointed. “I really want to go there…”

“I’m hungry and it’s not even sure they’re open yet.” He tells her. She doesn’t argue that, but her face is still a bit sad. Why does she want to go to that place so eagerly anyway?

I try to distract her and ask Mammon. “You seem to be pretty at home in the Human World, Mammon. Aside from not having a clue on how to behave in shops…” I tease.

“Ya think?” Mammon shrugs. “I dunno… I’m not doin’ anything special. But I guess I’m more accustomed to the Human World than most of my brothers.”

“Because you’re the Avatar of Greed and people are in general greedy?”

“Yeah, I guesso.” He nods. “Like, I get called up here by those witches all the time. Needing some money from me, or somethin’. Humans really are easy for me to thrive on.”

“You don’t like those witches, right?” Leila asks curiously. “If they treat you badly, or try to force you into a pact, let me know and I will teach them a lesson.”

He laughs proudly. “Look at ya! All grown up to be equal to Solomon. I’m lucky to have a pact with ya two and I’m not wanting any more pacts.”

“I’m glad you like the Human World, Mammon.” Leila tells him. “Out of the Three Worlds, it’s my favorite. The coming years, while Pandora is growing up, I won’t be visiting the Devildom so often. So I’m glad you like to come to me, if I miss you too much.”

“Yeah, the casino’s are pretty fun and stuff…” He’s quiet for a bit. “I mean… what I’m tryin’ to say is… If ya REALLY want me to come here more often, or ya know… stay with ya forever… I might be willin’ to…”

“Forever?” Leila laughs heartily. “I don’t think the Human World can take that!”

He grins crookedly. “Ya had to ruin it, of course…”

While we shuffle forward in the long line, we hear some of the other customers' conversations.

“Hey, did you hear the rumor about that one café?!” A student giggles to her friend.

Her friend nods, also giggling. “Ooh, yeah! You mean the newly renovated one that will open today, right? It’s called the Angel’s Halo. That’s the one you’re talking about, right?!”

I can see Leila perk up, as she starts actively listening in on the conversation.

“Right, yeah! Rumor has it that if you have a crush on someone and you drink the coffee at that café, it’ll make them fall madly in love with you…”

Leila raises her eyebrows in disbelief as she hears that. “I doubt they’re serving love-potions…” She whispers to us quietly.

“Ooh, we Have to go there!” The two giggling students decide in the meantime. They clearly DO believe that rumor. And so does Mammon, as he suddenly drags us out of the line.

“Forget the deli.” He grins. “Suddenly I’m in the mood to hit up a café. C’mon, let’s head over to the Angel’s Halo.”

“Okay, now you’re just being dumb, Mammon.” Leila tells him sternly. “There are rules in the Human World about serving love potions. Definitely not allowed in random café’s…”

But he isn’t listening, smiling giddily. “Don’t call me dumb! Don’t get the wrong idea, okay? I just wanna see this! I bet it’s gonna be fun to see all those humans falling in love.”

“I want to go to that café too. but there’s no way that this rumor is true.” She insists, shaking her head. But in the meantime she smiles brightly. “That rumor is suspicious. They’re opening today. How can a rumor like that about them exist already?”

“Guess we’ll find out soon enough.” I shrug, a bit tired and very hungry. “As long as I finally get something to eat, I don’t care who falls madly in love with me.”

We’re all laughing and joking with each other, until someone runs into Mammon, quite hard. “D’wah?!”

“Ow!” The small person has fallen on the ground after bumping head first into Mammon's chest. Rubbing their head, like he headbutted a rock. Maybe that’s true? Mammon is quite muscled, like all our demons are.


	3. Rumor Has It...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting back up with the angels again!

**Leila POV**

Of course, instead of helping the poor kid, that bumped into him and fell, Mammon starts yelling at them. “Hey! What’s the big idea?! How about you watch where you’re g-”

I punch Mammon in the arm, while James helps them up. “Be nice, Mammon.”

“Oy! I’m the victim here!” He rounds on me, but stops when he sees who has bumped into him. “Wha?!”

“Oh wow…” Luke says surprised, brushing off his clothes. “I saw a couple of people arguing in the middle of the street, so I came out to check because they looked like trouble. I can’t believe it's you!”

“Oy? We weren’t arguing! We’re havin’ a great time together, actually! Like didn’t ya see us laughin’, or what?”

“Whatever.” Luke shrugs, then turns to James and beams and hugs him. “James! I haven’t seen you in forever!”

“Hey! Don’cha ‘whatever’ me!” Mammon protests loudly.

“James, it’s really you! It’s really, REALLY you!” Luke cheers and inspects James from all sides. Which makes Mammon instantly jealous and protective of course.

“Oy, no huggin’! And no gettin’ so close! And no starin’! I don’t want ya to get your germs on James!”

“I missed you so much Luke!” James ignores Mammon, like the rest of us, and hugs Luke back. “What are you doing here?”

“I missed you too! Seriously, I did!” Luke beams. “However much you missed me, I missed you a hundred times more than that! A hundred times!” Then he turns to me. “Leila! How is Pandora doing in the Human World?” He looks into the basket of the stroller and Pandora looks back at him, making a happy sound. She recognizes him! “Oh, she looks different here, you know? I can’t really tell what it is…”

“She looks human down here.” I tell him, proudly. “You can’t see her wings or Celestial aura. In the Devildom she shows her horns and tail…”

“Really? You’ve already gone to the Devildom?” Luke looks worried at me, so I tell him the story about my meeting with Lord Diavolo and he laughs. “We taught you well… So anyway… Sorry we kept it a secret for you that we would also be coming down to the Human World. We wanted to surprise you and we have been working really hard, getting read for the grand opening…”

“The grand opening?” James and Mammon want to know.

Luke smiles at them and motions for us to follow him. He takes us to the Angel’s Halo. Just as I thought! I had this feeling I would meet my two angels here again!

Simeon welcomes us, as Luke lets us inside. “Wait a minute, who do we have here?” He smiles and immediately picks up Pandora. “And you’re here too, little Angel?” He holds her up curiously, probably also noticing the Human World change in her.

“Wh… Hey!” Mammon protests. “What are ya two doing here?!”

“Well, this IS a surprise… but a happy one. I never expected you three to be our very first customers.” Simeon looks at Pandora in his arms, making noises. “Or should I say four? But wait… We aren’t supposed to be open yet, are we? It’s still not time.”

“No, but I ran into them on the street.” Luke rubs his head again. “Literally. So I brought them inside.”

“Hold on!” Mammon protests again, mostly from being ignored. “One of ya explain to me what you’re doin’ here!”

“Yes.” James nods. “Not that I’m not happy to see you here. But what brings you to the Human World?”

“Michael appointed us to help relations between the Human World and the Celestial Realm.” Simeon finally explains. “We already started planning this while Leila was still studying in the Celestial Realm. We almost could come down here together, but you were so eager to return to your family after such a long time. We didn’t want to spoil the surprise for you, but also didn’t want to delay you…” He smiles fondly at me and Pandora. “It’s been only two days, but I really missed you two already.”

“So, anyway.” Luke adds with a huge beaming smile. “We’re going to be living here in the Human World for a while!”

“Yay!” I cheer and hug him. “So you planned to have this café for a while now? You kept it a secret so well for me! But why a café?”

“Well, as you know Luke is quite good at baking anything sweet, so it made sense to us.” Simeon explains further. “This café is basically a front to help us blend in here so no one suspects us. It’s a pretty nice place, don’t you think?”

“Yes, very nice.” James smiles, walking around. “But there are rules in the Human World about child labor…”

“Hey!” Luke shouts, offended. “I’m not a child! I’m older than the adults here by millenia!”

“We know, Luke.” I try to calm him down. “But you still look like a child to us… What have you planned for that?”

“We made special papers for Luke, stating that he is a child genius and allowed to work short periods of the day, within the Human World laws.” Simeon shows them to us. “See? This here says that he is actually 15, even though he looks a bit younger. This one here is his graduation from university…”

In the meantime, Luke is listening to it all indignantly. It must be kind of embarrassing to him to have to be treated like that here. Almost as embarrassing as being called a chihuahua, I can imagine.

“So that’s why it’s called the Angel’s Halo… I THOUGHT that name sounded fishy…” Mammon grumbles. “Is that why ya wanted to go here, Leila?”

“Yeah.” I admit cheerily. “I had this feeling that it would be like this! I’m so happy!”

I ignore more grumbles from him about ungrateful humans and how Satan will be getting pissed at me over this. I’m not letting my good mood be ruined now by jealous demons.

“By the way, our signature items are our special blend Cupid Coffee, the Big Bang Burger and the Celestial Sandwich…” Simeon tells us as he shows us the menu. James' stomach growls.

“Pffhahaha! James, was that your stomach just now?!” Mammon laughs. “That was impressive! I thought you were Beel for a second there!” James grins a bit embarrassed, rubbing his stomach.

“Hmph, your stomach is just as loud, Mammon.” Luke responds with a roll of his eyes.

“Yeah… We kinda skipped breakfast today, due to circumstances.” I tell the angels. “We would really appreciate it if we can eat something here…”

“You did?” Simeon laughs and puts Pandora back into her basket. “Well, why didn’t you say so sooner? We still have time before we open. I’ll whip something up for you.”

“Nice…” James sighs. Finally he will get something to eat.

And admittedly, I’m hungry too. Pandora needs cleaning and feeding and I need a bit of rest. So after I have done that, I settle with James and Mammon at the table. They’re both on their DDD’s. Apparently our demons want some attention. When I start reading the messages too, I suppress an eye roll. Men who are sick are such babies. It doesn’t matter if they’re human or demon.

**House of Lamentation (9)**

< **Beelzebub:** I’m hungry  
< **Beelzebub:** Bring me something to eat, Mammon.  
> **James:** Are you feeling better, Beel? **(Happy-Demon sticker)**  
< **Lucifer:** I thought you said you didn’t want to eat anything, because you felt sick?  
< **Beelzebub:** I tried going a short while without eating, but now I even feel worse than before.  
< **Beelzebub:** This is awful. I’m better off eating something, even if I AM sick.  
> **Leila:** We’ll be there soon with the medication. Something important came up…  
< **Belphegor:** What do you mean?  
< **Satan:** More important than us?  
> **Leila:** We have to eat too.  
< **Asmodeus:** Mammon, I thought you just went to buy medicine?  
< **Asmodeus:** You’re out roaming around somewhere, aren’t you? Where’d you go?  
< **Mammon:** Ooh, sorry.  
< **Mammon:** I’m at a café with James and Leila. **(Winking-Demon sticker)**  
> **James:** The Angel’s Halo. Owned by Simeon and Luke.  
< **Asmodeus:** Hey! **I** was going to go there with Leila!  
< **Satan:** Leila is with Simeon now? **(Angry-Demon sticker)**  
< **Belphegor:** That’s it. I’m putting a curse on you.  
> **Leila:** I’ll make sure it backfires on you.  
< **Belphegor:** Leila! **(Angry-Demon sticker)**  
< **Satan:** I’m going to fix this right now!

“What is he going to fix…” I mumble, rolling my eyes. “Bunch of selfish idiots…”

“So you two are living with Mammon and his brothers again?” Luke sits with us while we wait for the feast that Simeon is preparing for us. “How is that going?” He asks curiously, seeing my expression after reading the chat.

“Yeah.” James grins at the angels when our breakfast arrives and Simeon comes to sit with us too. “They hired me as their ‘babysitter’...”

“Hehehe.” Luke giggles.

“What? Luke, if ya got somethin’ to say, say it!”

“I mean, you hired James as your BABYsitter. A babysitter to take care of the seven of you… Hahaha!” Luke laughs fully now, finding it very funny.

I smile, digging into my food and say dryly. “Seems legit to me.”

“Hehehe…” Simeon laughs as well which makes Mammon angry.

“Y’know, ya two are really startin’ to get on my nerves…” He grumbles. “Anyway, burgers and sandwiches are great and all, but what I really came here for was the coffee. So c’mon, gimme some of this Cupid Coffee everyone’s talkin’ about!”

“Hm? What do you mean by that…?” Simeon looks surprised.

**James POV**

“I see. So you heard that drinking our coffee will make whoever you have a crush on fall madly in love with you…” Simeon doesn’t look pleased after we explained the situation. “Well, it would seem we have a very problematic rumor circulating…”

“I’d say so, yes.” Leila nods, worriedly. “It’s either false advertising, or you’re serving love potions in your café, which is illegal in the Human World’s magical society…”

“But it might bring in a lot of business for you.” I ask them. “If it’s both not true and people still believe it, then it’s not a problem, right?”

Simeon laughs. “Well, as much as I would appreciate that... As angels, the idea of attracting customers via a completely baseless rumor is… not great. We’re not actually here to make money. It’s not the point of this café.”

“Which now makes you sound even more illegal…” Leila jokes, but her expression is still worried. “Like you’re the front of a money laundering company for the mafia… Making use of child labor... Seriously Simeon, you have a lot to learn about the Human World as well...” She shakes her head.

Simeon laughs exuberantly now. “Yes, well… Maybe we need help too?” He winks at Leila, who raises an eyebrow.

“Oh yeah!” Luke cheers and immediately follows with. “Leila, would you come work with us here? Pleeaase?”

“Oy! Leila’s livin’ with us!” Mammon intervenes possessively, before she can answer. “She aint gonna work here!”

“Excuse me, Mammon.” She rolls her eyes. “I can speak for myself. And I’d love to come work here!”

“Whaaat?” Mammon protests loudly. “What about us? Satan and Belphie aren’t goin’ to agree on this! And I ain’t either!”

“Mammon.” Her voice is stern and he silences immediately. “You already have James as your ‘babysitter’ to navigate the Human World. You don’t need me for that. And I need to earn money. And Satan and Belphie have nothing to say about me, right now…” She ends, a bit of a crack in her voice. “I’m taking this job. I need it.” Mammon’s face falls, hearing that. She hasn’t forgiven them yet. The texting from earlier didn’t help with that either. They are still at risk of losing their chance, which means the loss of two chances.

While Simeon takes Leila to a backroom to draw up the employment papers, Luke whispers to Mammon and me. “She’s so sad. What happened?”

Mammon, for a change, doesn’t start to aggressively tell him it’s not his business. After she has spent almost a year in the Celestial Realm with Luke and Simeon, he knows that they made a close bond with her too. And it IS their business. So he says. “My dumbass brothers started a fight over her. On her second day!” He growls in frustration. “I kick their asses back to the Devildom, if she leaves us because of that.”

“Oh… Yeah. That does sound pretty stupid.” Luke nods, but doesn’t rub it in further. “She will have fun working here though. That will help her put things in perspective. I’m sure of it.”

“Hey.” Mammon rubs Luke’s head in an almost fond way, teasing him. “Since when are ya so grown up, Chihuahua?” Yeah… That ruined it all again of course. Luke looks offended and I burst out laughing.

“Anyway.” I say, when a smiling Leila has returned to us with Simeon. Contract in her hand. “How did this rumor get started?”

“Hmm…” Simeon rubs his neck, thinking. “I can’t say for sure, but I have an idea… Shortly after we first got here, a girl wandered into the café by accident. And I ended up giving her a cup of coffee for free. And apparently something wonderful happened to her afterwards. A very dramatic, very positive development in her love life. And somehow that must have convinced people it was thanks to our coffee.”

Luke rolls his eyes. “Simeon, this is your fault. Why did you give her that coffee?”

“Well, I was just deciding on what blend of beans to use for our signature Coffee. I wanted an actual customer to sample our brew, so I could get her opinion.”

“And then you decided on naming it Cupid Coffee…” Leila says a bit accusingly and Simeon laughs at her.

“I just thought that sounded good.” He grins at her expression of suspicion. “I honestly don’t have cupid powers. Or did I put a love potion in it.”

“Some angels do have cupid powers then?” I ask curiously.

“Some, yes.” Luke confirms. “But we don’t. And even if we did, we wouldn’t use it to make people fall in love over coffee.” He rolls his eyes. “We angels possess our powers from the moment we’re born. But different angels have different powers. Humans are like that too, right? Different people are good or bad at different things. Also, all angels are assigned a rank based on how skilled we are at whatever it is we can do.”

“How are you two ranked?” I ask curiously. Why did I never think of asking about this before? Was I really that occupied with the demons in my life?

Luke smiles proudly. “Simeon is a Seraphim-Archangel. He rules over the Guardian Angels. It’s really impressive.”

“Sure, but you’re just a low-level grunt, aren’t ya Luke?”

“I’ll have you know that I am a Guardian Angel, as of last year!” Luke stands up for himself, sticking out his chin as he tries to pin Mammon down with a glare. “And no one asked you anyway! And I’m in training to get higher in rank…”

“Yes, Michael expects great things from you, after all. So I’m sure you’re going to be very successful, Luke.” Simeon pats him fondly on the head.

“Yeah totally.” Mammon says mockingly, rolling his eyes. “Work hard and shoot for the stars, Luke. Someday you’ll be at the top of the top… A Seraphim-Archangel! Ahahaha!”

“Stop making fun of me, Mammon! I don’t even want to be a Seraphim!” Luke defends himself again with a blush on his face of indignancy. “For your information, I’m ACTUALLY hoping to be one of the Principalities someday!”

“You? A Principality? Hahaha…”

“Stop teasing him Mammon.” Leila has enough of it. “But can you explain this to me? Weren’t you both specifically assigned to be our Guardian Angels last year?”

“Actually, both of us are assigned to you and always will be, no matter what angelic rank we ever reach. Because you are family to us too. Not only to the seven brothers.” Simeon starts explaining and Mammon gets a very sour expression on his face, but isn’t stopping him. “You see. We used to all belong to Lucifer’s House. The seven brothers, Luke and me… And Lilith. You can call it a family unit. Through a Ceremony of Souls, each newly created angel is assigned to a House. We belong to each other. You are Lilith’s descendants, which makes you our family. Even if our family is broken into pieces in all the Three Worlds, we will always belong to each other. That is how it works.”

Leila and I both stare from the two angels to Mammon. Family? But even Mammon, the avatar of denial, isn’t denying this. So it must be true? They never told us this!

“Anyway, it seems we really do have ourselves a problem…” Simeon changes the subject, understanding that Leila and I need a bit of time to let this information sink in. “If we attract customers due to false rumor, it essentially amounts to deception. It wouldn’t be right… And also, it would blow our cover. We wouldn’t be able to keep a low profile at all.” He turns to Leila with a smile, giving her a wink. “So, new employee with Human World expertise: How are we going to fix this?”

“Oy! Who says Leila needs to fix your problems?!”

“Because first, Mammon, I’m an employee here now. Like Simeon just said, It’s my job.” Leila explains to him in a patronizing way that makes him blush with indignancy. “And more importantly, as it turns out we’re family. And family helps each other. So we will help you, Simeon and Luke!” She turns to the angels, who obviously enjoyed the lecture she gave Mammon.

“Really? I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that!” Simeon beams at her. “I knew asking you to work for us was a great decision!”

“Ugh. There ya go again. Trying to help everyone.” Mammon grumbles. “Didn’t ya just say to me this morning that you needed to be more selfish?”

“Yeah, I did.” She smiles sweetly at him. “I need to be more selfish around you guys. But I can still help other people.”

“Well, before ya ask, I’m not helping.” He crosses his arms, annoyed. “Sounds like nothing but a hassle. If ya want me to do somethin’ for ya, ya gotta have money. Now, if ya got a heap of gold bars, then I might think about helpin’.”

Leila and I look at each other and snicker: We got this. We both stand up and round on Mammon, putting on our cutest faces. “Pleeease?” I do my best puppy face expression.

“Aw…” Mammon takes a step back, only to bump into Leila who flutters the eyelashes of her big green eyes. “L-Looking at me like that isn’t gonna work! Ya need to realize that…”

“Pwetty please?” Leila interrupts him, Pandora in her arms, who also looks at Mammon and tries to imitate the funny sounds her mother makes. Leila looks delighted at her baby and Mammon doesn’t stand any chance. Looking into their eyes he actually gasps! Wow, mother and child are going to be a force to be reckoned with! Our demons best be ready! Heh.

“Dammit!” Mammon sighs. “I give up… Fine, I’ll help you out this time! But only this time! This is a special deal, understand?!

“Sure, Mammon.” Leila smiles sweetly at him. “It’s a real honor that the Great Mammon agrees to help us.”

“Ahaha! You really do adore James and Leila, don’t you Mammon?” Simeon has watched the scene with amusement.

“Course I do.” He grumbles, blushing. “They’re my humans!”

“Ugh, that’s it.” Luke rolls his eyes. “I can’t stand to watch another second of this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had some trouble figuring out the angel ranking, because it seems to be inconsistent in the game and I wanted to make sense of it first. So, me and my friend Fallingunderground13 made an Angels sheet, on which we wrote our ideas about angels and their rankings and other stuff, that we share with each other for when we need to tell something about the angels in our stories. This is how we created some background information that nobody asked for, but we still want to give to you. ;)
> 
> And so: You might recognize some things here or there in both our stories, as we shared some of our ideas with each other.  
> Still, we try to write our own unique stories and are definitely not trying to copy! :D


	4. Arguments all Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the solutions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I shamelessly posted this chapter without reading it over. I hope you enjoy anyway!

**Leila POV**

“So, here’s what we have to figure out.” Simeon starts the impromptu meeting. “How can we help people understand that the rumor about our coffee’s magical properties isn’t true?”

We’re all thinking, until Luke does the first suggestion. “How about we spread a new rumor that the other rumor is fake?”

“That’s not a bad idea, but how do we make sure that this new rumor ends up spreading?”

“Hmph.” Mammon complains, putting his feet up on one of the tables and crossing his arms with a roll of his eyes. “What a waste of time. Now, if there was a couple who’d got into a fight after drinkin’ your coffee, this would be easy…”

I knock his feet from the table and compliment him. “That’s a good idea, Mammon!”

“It is?” He looks surprised at me, putting his feet on another chair instead and folds his hands behind his head with a triumphant smile. “Course it is! I ain’t the Great Mammon for nothin’!”

“Yes.” Simeon nods. We need a couple to drink our coffee and then pretend to have a falling-out right in front of our customers.”

“That’s bound to look convincing, yeah.” James nods. “Nice thinking, Mammon.”

“Really?” Mammon blushes now, but beams. Getting compliments from both his humans! Aww, sometimes he’s really adorable! “I mean, that was nothin’! When I set my mind to a problem, I always come up with good ideas.”

We all roll our eyes at that, but he doesn’t even notice.

“So, who is going to be that couple, pretending to get into a fight?” Luke asks, but looks between Mammon and me with a grin.

Simeon follows his gaze and grins as I roll my eyes at them. “Yes, Luke. I was just thinking the same thing. We have the ideal candidates right here.”

“Huh?! Whoa, hold on!” Mammon protests loudly. “Why should I have to get into a fight with Leila, huh?! Even if it’s just an act, I don’t like it! Do ya have any idea how scary she can get when she’s mad? I’m not doin’ it! No way!”

“Now, now, don’t say that, Mammon.” Simeon smiles cheekily. “How about I won't charge you for breakfast?”

“Ya were plannin’ on charging me?!” Mammon shouts outraged and James and I burst out laughing. Of course he wasn’t, but it’s fun teasing Mammon.

“Okay, Simeon can be my partner…”

Mammon jumps up! “Whoa whoa whoa whoa!” He shouts in my face. “Simeon? Why?!”

“Because James is my cousin and we look too much alike to be playing a convincing couple.” I shrug. “Don’t you think Simeon and I look handsome as a couple?” I tease, linking my arm through Simeons with a grin. Simeon grins as well, pulling me a little closer.

“Oy! Ya know what Satan will do when he hears about this?!” Mammon shouts even louder now, already imagining that scene. “That’s it! Don’t pair up with Simeon. I’ll do it. Dammit… But… the whole fighting thing is only an act right?” He ends worried.

“Of course Mammon!” I hug him tightly. “You’re about the only one of your brothers I’m not mad at right now…”

Simeon lets go of me. “Well, that certainly was easy…”

“Yeah, You really know how to twist Mammon's arm.” Luke looks at me with a look of newfound respect. “How about you two practice a bit?”

“What?”

“Isn’t it better if we just improvise it?” James asks. “I think it’ll look more natural that way…”

“I just want to see what they will come up with…” Simeon grins. “Alright then… Action!”

“Ugh! I can’t take it anymore!” I stomp my foot and shout in Mammon's face. Pandora starts crying and James quickly takes her out of her basket to soothe her. Mammon looks shocked at me

“Wh… Oy! That sounded way too real!” He shouts back and I can barely suppress a giggle. Then he steps into his role, putting a sad expression on his face. “Oh man… There are so many things you could be sick of, I don’t even know which one you’re talking about…”

“You need to give me back my money.” I start, but it gets him immediately outraged.

“Oy! I never borrowed money from ya!” He shouts. “James? Yes! But you’re too scary to even ask, okay?! And then there’s a lot I’ve been wanting to say to ya, too!”

“Oh yeah?” I mock him with a roll of my eyes. “What could you possibly have to say to me?”

“Yeah! Like, why are ya stayin’ up all night gaming or watching anime with Levi in his room?”

“Are you confusing me for someone else?!” I scream, pretending to be cheated on. “How many girlfriends do you even have?!”

“How dare ya!” He shouts. “You’re the one who has guys followin’ her like puppydogs! And another thing! I hate the way ya lock eyes with Lucifer and smile like that. Like ya two are two peas in a pod and have secrets! Don’t do that!”

“Ahaha!” Simeon laughs as he sees Mammon getting all fired up. “This is getting interesting.”

“Yeah.” Luke looks on a little worried, seeing Mammon stand so close to me and shouting in my face. “I know Leila is, but is Mammon really acting right now?”

“I don’t want to have anythin’ to do with ya anymore! We’re over!” Mammon shouts to me but then gasps and starts stuttering. “N-No! That’s not true! Don’t believe that! Like I could ever say that to ya! I love ya, Leila!” He hugs me tightly and I can feel him very tense as he sniffles in my ear. “Sorry…”

So I hug him back, soothing him. Mammon isn’t really cut out for this type of thing, after all. “It’s okay, Mammon. We were just acting. I’m not mad.”

“I’ll NEVER break up with you or James, okay?! Never!” He relaxes a bit, but still needs to say that.

“Ugh, he’s useless…” Simeon sighs as he looks at us displeased. “Now what?”

“It was a good idea after all to practice.” James snickers, wickedly. “At least we now know Mammon can’t act out a break-up.”

**Lucifer POV**

“I still feel sick to my stomach…” I groan, as I walk into the kitchen to get a glass of water. I feel I need to at least drink something. To get the taste out of my mouth. To dilute the contents of my stomach and suppress the strong feeling of wanting to throw it all out of my system. I’m pretty sure it will burn my esophagus away if I do that… “Honestly… What do I have to do to keep Solomon from ever making us food again?”

We demons have to respect the most powerful magicians of the Human World. Refusing his offerings flat out would be almost more insulting than how Diavolo treated the Three Magicians last year…  
But... if this is the effect it has on us, we HAVE to find a way to avoid eating it.  
I think about how Leila always cleverly avoids eating her grandfather's cooking. She’s so open about it to him. But never insulting. What does she do? Sometimes she accepts the offering and changes up the whole dish to make it edible… Smart girl. Sometimes she makes excuses. Of course she is his granddaughter and can never do anything wrong in his eyes. We demons don’t have that luxury. Even James has found some tricks to avoid Solomons cooking. Or maybe Solomon is lenient with him too, because Leila adores him so much?  
I sigh. She has to help us with this. There goes another piece of my Pride, if I have to ask her for help. What is she doing to me? Just like James, she chips away pieces of my Pride, bit by bit. What is this kind of magic? Love? It must be, because I don’t even mind it. From them. Only from them.

While I’m about to get my second glass of water, I suddenly hear some rummaging in the pantry. It can’t be Beelzebub. He’s sick, like the rest of us. That better not be Leila’s cat. I swear, that animal is just as clever as its human. Opening the door to the pantry? It wouldn’t surprise me.

“Is someone there?”

Then, to my surprise, the messy red hairdo of Beelzebub appears around the corner. “Oh, Lucifer. It’s you.” He sounds weak. From sickness or lack of food. Or both.

“Beel, what are you doing in there?” I sigh, too tired and nauseous to scold him. “I thought you said you were sick?”

“I was…” He nods, thinking slowly the way he sometimes does. “I think I still am… At first I thought I didn’t want to eat something, but… since I couldn’t tell at certain point if I still felt sick or was just hungry, I decided to get something to eat.”

Great. Beelzebubs strange working stomach already digested most of Solomon's awful offerings. I almost would be jealous of it, in this moment. Were it not, that I know that Beelzebub is suffering from a stomach acting up all the time. So I try an encouraging smile and let him raid the pantry. “Ah. Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“You don’t look glad.” Beelzebub concludes, looking at my face while eating some vegetables from the Human World. No idea what it’s called. Human World food has these strange names.

“Well, that’s because I’m not feeling better. Not as of yet.” I sip some more water. “So, how is everyone else doing?”

“Belphie’s stuck in bed permanently.” Beelzebub says. “Though I think he’s just sulking, mostly. Leila took away his headache with a spell, but wouldn’t stay with him, to take care of him today.” I can’t help a small smile. Yes, that does sound like the two of them. “The chat from earlier, made him even more grumpy.” Beelzebub shrugs.

“At some point he’ll realize that he has to come out of bed to get in her good graces again.”

Beelzebub nods. “There was no answer when I knocked on Levi’s door. Mammon said that was the same case earlier when he and James and Leila checked up on everyone.”

“What about Satan?”

“I just spotted him in the library.” Beelzebub eats some more vegetables and starts to look healthier by the minute. Okay… That is to be envious about, under the circumstances. “He didn’t look good, but he was rummaging around for a book. Like he was desperate to find it.”

Right…

“Something wrong?” Beelzebub asks me, eating the last of the vegetables and moving on to look for more food.

“I have a bad feeling about this…” I just sigh and go look for my troublesome brother, leaving Beelzebub to raid the pantry even more. It’s just what it is today.

“Maybe this is it? … Nope. And this isn’t it either.” I hear a loud burp and then a curse and I can understand exactly how Satan must feel in that moment. Because I feel it too. “Maybe it’s on this shelf…? No, not here.”

Outside the library, I can hear Satan frantically rummaging around, like Beelzebub had told me. I have a suspicion what he is looking for.

“Dammit! Where could it be?” His back is turned to me as he browses the shelves. He’s not looking good. But he looks determined and curses some more. “Where’s that book with the curse for transferring your own physical affliction to someone you hate…?”

“Aha. I knew it” I step into the room, trying to pin him down with my best glare, but he just narrows his eyes at me and keeps searching. “I know you’re a fan of books, but when I heard you were hanging out in the library, despite being so sick, I thought it sounded suspicious.

“Do you need something from me, Lucifer?”

“So, you want to transfer your illness to this ‘someone’ you hate, so you don’t have to suffer anymore? Is that your plan, Satan?”

“And what if it is?” He challenges me, a malicious grin on his face, but then it changes into a worried frown. “I have to get better, right now. Leila is with Simeon and I won’t allow that. I have to see her and apologize.”

Oh. I did not exactly expect that. I thought he just wanted to get rid of his illness for selfish reasons. Still…

“You do realize what the consequences will be if you do that, don’’t you?”

“Pff…” He shrugs. “Lucifer, we’re demons, right? And when you tell a demon not to do something, what he hears is that he has to do it. Am I wrong?” He doesn't stop looking for that book with curses. “ Besides… Whatever punishment you have for me can’t be worse than losing her. I won’t let that happen.”

I couldn’t convince Satan to stop looking for that book. And I felt too weak to punish him for it, or even stop him. I decided to lay down on one of the couches in the living room to rest. Since climbing the stairs to my room seemed like too much effort at the moment.

At a certain point, I hear Satan's voice cheerfully calling out to Beelzebub in the hallway.

“Beel, so this is where you were…”

“Yup, just about going into the living room.” Is the answer. “Satan… You don’t look sick anymore. Weird. Earlier you looked like you were about to keel over and die.”

“Yep, I’m feeling good again.” I hear Satan answer him, triumph in his voice. “Couldn’t be better. How about you?”

Strange. He apparently already cast that curse from that book. Or he wouldn’t be feeling better. I don’t feel worse than before, so he didn’t transfer his illness onto me. I honestly expected he’d do that. Then again, Leila would have been even more angry with him, if he did that to one of his brothers. But if not one of us, then who?

“I’m feeling better too. I had something to eat and now I’m fine” Beelzebub answers him. He sounds happy. Yes. I’m definitely feeling envious now.

“In that case, let’s head to that café where Leila and James are.” Satan invites him. “I’d like a bite too. And you probably emptied out the pantry, right? Come on. It’ll be my treat.” I can hear the tension in his voice. He’s determined to win his mate back as fast as possible.

“Deal.”

“Alright then, let’s go.” It’s quiet for a bit, until I hear Satan again. “What?”

“Don’t pick on Lucifer so much.”

Satan chuckles. “Beel, despite being a demon, the truth is that you care a lot about your family, don’t you?”

“Well, you’re the same way, Satan. You do everything for your family. Even though you may not admit it.”

“I will admit it.” Satan says with a calm voice. “I do everything I can for my family. No one comes in between them and me. Let’s go to them, brother.”

They’re just out of the Manor when I receive a text on my DDD.

**The Fantastic Three (3)**

< **Diavolo:** Barbatos.  
< **Diavolo:** I need you to call a doctor for me.  
< **Barbatos:** Of course my Lord.  
> **Lucifer:** Something wrong?  
< **Diavolo:** I suddenly feel sick.  
< **Diavolo:** It came boiling up out of nowhere. Nausea, smelly flatulence, acid regurgitation…

< **Diavolo:** I might be dying. **(Crying-Demon sticker)**

< **Barbatos:** I’m sure that’s not true, my Lord.  
> **Lucifer:** Dammit, Satan…  
< **Diavolo: (Confused-Demon sticker)**  
< **Barbatos: (Confused-Demon sticker)**  
> **Lucifer:** I’m afraid he finally took his revenge on you for treating his mate like you did, last year.  
> **Lucifer:** Not to worry. I will deal with him personally.  
< **Diavolo: (Prince-Lucifer sticker)**


	5. We Belong Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a struggle, but it's going to be okay.

**James POV**

“Simeon, I’ve got another order for you.” Leila rushes over to Simeon who is working the counter. “One latte and some Angel Wings Pancakes.”

She seems to be in her element. Even though it is crazy busy in the Angel’s Halo from the moment the doors officially opened. Apparently a LOT of people believed the rumor. Simeon. Leila and Luke have asked Mammon and me to help out the first day, since the angels weren’t exactly expecting this kind of rush hour. For hours.

Luke is busy in the kitchen. People can hear his angelic voice sing while he’s cooking and it brings a smile on everyone's faces. The angels can TRY to keep a low profile, but… They will stand out one way or another from other business owners anyway. Even if the rumor isn’t true: The cafe radiates happiness.

Simeon nods at Leila, makes a note and turns to Mammon. “What did the people who ordered the BLT sandwich want to drink?”

“Umm…” Mammon tries to remember. “One regular coffee, a soy latte and somethin’ called an iced Vienna coffee? They wanted two of those.” Mammon looks at him confused. “Like, what’s up with that? So they want Vienna sausages in their coffee?”

Simeon isn’t in the mood to explain the difference to Mammon right now. Feeling pressured by the crowd in the cafe on the first day, he grumbles. “Mammon, you need to speed up a bit.”

“Hey, don’t blame me if I’m slow!” Mammon protests. “It’s not my fault I don’t know much about what they serve at Human Worlds café’s!”

Simeon sighs and nods. Mammon is right. They needed our help, but they can’t expect us to be that efficient either. “You’re good with numbers, right? Why don’t you and James switch places for now. You can man the register.”

Mammon beams, already planning to skim from the profits probably, so after I have explained to him how it works, I give him a stern command: “Don’t steal, Mammon.” He looks disappointed, but then shrugs. He’ll probably find another scheme for some money in the Human World soon enough.

“Seriously, what’s up with this?!” He complains as Leila comes to him to get the bill for a certain table. “We’re crazy busy?!”

“Yeah!” She cheers. “Isn’t it great?” She quickly checks on Pandora, but her baby is satisfied and lulled to sleep by the noises of all the people in the café. Right after that she’s gone again, greeting new people and taking up their order.

“Hmph.” Mammon huffs to me, looking after her. “At least someone is happy.” He narrows his eyes, as he notices from the registers standpoint, that a lot of visitors have noticed her radiant attitude as well. “Belphie and Satan better not find out how much men she’s got lookin’ at her…”

“It’s not like she can help it.” I stand up for her. “It’s always been like that. Leila and I get a lot of attention. And contrary to me, she never notices it. It’s one of her charms.”

“I guess that’s true.” Mammon grumbles. “I guess human males like the chase too.”

“Now… Less talking, more working!” I tease him and ask for a bill for one of my tables.

He grins. “Allright, Allright…”

I turn around when I hear the jingle of the bell from the door. “New customers… “ I mumble then my eyes go wide in surprise.

“What the…?!” Mammon shouts too loud, making several customers look up surprised. “What are ya two doin’ here? Aren’t ya sick?”

Simeon comes gliding over. Or so it seems. He is so fast, but not so that it looks supernatural to the human customers. “Hello there, Satan and Beelzebub.” He whispers their names, not wanting to spook the patrons. “Welcome to the Angel’s Halo!”

Luke heard it though. He’s a supernatural being after all, with supernatural hearing just like our demons. “Heey!” He cheers, happily. “Good to see you again. Mammon, James and Leila are here too.”

Mammon and I walk over, but Leila hasn’t noticed them yet. She’s being kept busy with a particular rowdy table of students, all vying for her attention.

“I can see that, yeah…” Satan growls annoyed, seeing his mate occupied with other males. “What is she doing with those human males?”

“Oh, taking up their orders. As of today, Leila works here.” Luke tells them, before he returns to the kitchen.

“She works here?” Satan narrows his eyes at Simeon, who smiles innocently back. “She didn’t come back to the Manor to bring medicine, because she thought working here was more important?”

“Oy!” Mammon tries to calm his angry brother down. “It didn’t go like that!”

“But wait.” Beelzebub asks me, surprised. “Mammon and James, you work here too?”

“Only today.” I answer them, before Mammon can launch into another complaint. “Come on, we need your help too! You see…” I start explaining the situation to them.

“I don’t see why I should help.” Satan growls after that, still staring after his busy mate on the other side of the café. “I came as a customer, not to work. And apparently that’s the way to get her attention, so…”

“Yeah.” Beelzebub agrees with him, but for a whole other reason. “Just the smell coming from the kitchen is making me drool.”

“Satan? Beelzebub?” Leila has finally noticed them and comes rushing over, beaming. She throws her arms around Satan and gives him a kiss on his cheek, taking him off guard. “Are you feeling better?”

Forgetting about his anger immediately, Satan smiles down on her in his arms. “Yep. I’m in tip-top shape again. I happened to come across a certain curse, you see?”

“Do I want to know this tale?” She asks him, with raised eyebrows.

He grins wickedly. “Maybe… Probably not. Anyway, I used that, and now I’m all better. You work here now?”

She nods. “Yeah, I didn’t have time to tell you yet. It happened pretty quick and I thought you were sick and probably wouldn’t like to discuss it.”

“Okay…” He nods, sighing. Probably relieved that she really wanted to talk to him about it, if he weren’t sick. “I’m sorry I was angry yesterday and started fighting with Asmo…” He tells her immediately after that. “I promised that you never would be bothered by our competition over you and I guess I forgot that…”

“Thank you, Satan.” She beams at him and melts into the passionate kiss he gives her. After that, he looks around the café with a triumphant smirk: This is HIS mate and everyone else has seen it now. But his triumph is short-lived. “I got to get back to work now.” She tells him and is gone again, leaving him looking irritated after her. He might have thought to just take her home again. He should have known better.

“I’m feeling better too.” Beelzebub says to us, to distract his brother from getting angry again. “It didn’t take me long to get better. I’ve always had a strong stomach after all.”

I rub his stomach and grin, after giving him a kiss. “Yeah, I bet.”

Simeon comes back again. “James, I’m sorry. But I really need you to work. We’re so busy…” He thinks for a moment and turns a charming smile towards Satan and Beelzebub. “Now that you two are here… You should know that I’m not about to let you get away.”

“What do you mean?” Satan narrows his eyes at him again.

“You can see how busy we are, can’t you?” Simeons smile grows even more charming, but Satan and Beelzebub aren’t impressed. “So come on, get yourselves into the kitchen and start helping.”

“But we're here as customers, not…” Satan starts to explain, but he is interrupted by Simeon.

Somehow his smile becomes threatening, but still charming. It’s brilliant, you could say. Literally. None of the customers notice it, but I’m pretty sure Simeon is using his Celestial Powers on his two demonic brothers. I have seen Leila smile like that before. I can do it too. It’s our special skill to use if we want something from people. It works especially well on our demons, we have noticed. We just used it earlier to make Mammon help out in the café… I never knew it came from our angelic genes. Simeons is more powerful however. It’s fascinating to watch.

“You **are** going to help us, aren’t you? As if I even needed to ask… **Of course you are, right?** ”

Both Satan and Beelzebub seem to cower, seeing Simeons power at work. “Simeon’s smile… It’s so powerful.” Beelzebub looks defenseless.

“You see, we wouldn’t be in this predicament if Mammon had done his job.” Simeon still smiles animatedly. “We had a plan to fix things, but he ruined it. And as his brothers, I’d say you share in the blame.”

I can’t say I share that opinion, but even I seem to be transfixed on Simeons brilliant Celestial smile…

“ **So, you are going to help, aren’t you?** ” It seemed for a moment a Celestial glow came from Simeon, the way our demons have their demonic energy crackling when they are threatening someone. Nobody else in the café noticed, except Leila and Mammon. They stand on a distance, staring at the scene.

Luke has noticed something too, as he comes from the kitchen to check if all is okay. Seeing what is happening, he just shrugs. “When Simeon gets like this, you’d better do as he says. You remember how he was the second in our House in the Celestial Realm? Only Lucifer can resist him.”

“I’m scared…” Beelzebub admits and Luke pats him on his arm in understanding, then he returns to the kitchen.

A little while later, I bring a stack of empty dirty plates to the kitchen. There I find my giant demonic lover, sobbing over the dishes he is washing. “I’m so hungry.” He complains to me.

Luke, standing near the stoves looks up and sighs, shaking his head. “Beelzebub, careful not to get any mucus on those dishes you just washed.” Then he walks over and gives Beelzebub a sandwich he made and didn’t turn out looking perfect. “Here, if you hang in there, I’ll sneak you some more. But keep helping us and stop crying.”

Walking back to the main part of the café, I hear Simeon and Satan discussing strategy for the future. It seems Satan has decided that Leila isn’t in danger of being swept off her feet by Simeon. He’s worrying more about the Human World males at the moment.

“Maybe you should consider getting rid of a few of the seats?” He suggests as he watches Leila manoeuvre in between the seats, coming too near some of them in his opinion. “It will also create more workspace for the staff…” He continues distractedly.

Simeon follows his gaze and smiles and nods. “Ah, good idea. Yes, I think we’ll do that.” He pats Satan comfortingly on his shoulder. “She’ll be okay here. She knows how to deal with these situations.”

In the meantime, Mammon complains to Leila at the register. “Hmph. Just look at Satan blending in all naturally like that…” He looks at Leila’s smiling face as she watches Simeon and Satan talk and huffs. “Ugh, why am I talkin’ to ya about this, anyway.” But then he grins, as it seems Leila isn’t mad at Satan anymore. “Y’know, ya should take a little break. Spend some time with Pandora.”

“Oh, yeah!” She beams. “I think I’ll do that! I’m sure Simeon is okay with that since I wasn’t exactly prepared for working today…”

“Exactly! Go get her and I’ll fix ya a table and somethin’ nice to eat.”

When she returns with her stroller, Mammon has cleared a table for her in the middle of the café. He made sure that there was only one seat at the small table, so that no human males would sit with her. I suspect he did that mostly for Satan, as I see him nod approvingly at the set up.

Leila sits and starts caring for her daughter. Not noticing her surroundings. But then something happens. Some guys from the rowdy student table come sit with her, bringing their own seats. Openly flirting with her and becoming pretty handsy in the process. Even she notices their intentions now and her face gets more and more an expression of discomfort.  
We can see it: She feels trapped. She doesn’t want to make a scene about it in the middle of the café. Her workplace. With her baby in her arms. And she can't blast them away from her like she would have if they were demons in the Devildom.

Satan isn’t having that: Before any of us can come to her rescue, he marches over and drags one of them out of their seats, as he just saw him lay his hand on her thigh under the table. Rubbing over it, so that her skirt moves up her leg. Leila was already about to yell to the offender.

But Satan was quicker. “Don’t touch her!” He growls and we see his eyes flash dangerously. Leila quickly lays her hand on his arm so he would not explode in the middle of the café. He does calm down a little, nodding at her. But he isn’t done yet. “I should break your hand, for touching my mate.” He growls, eyes still glowering murderously.

“Jeez! Freak!” The offender shouts in his face. “Who calls his girlfriend a ‘mate’?” He sneers. His friends laugh and it encourages him. “And you’re not even that good looking and seem to be way too violent. She would be better off with someone like me. Right guys?” He asks his friends.

“She’s mine.” Satan growls. “And so is her child. Touch her again and I’ll kill you.”

“You can’t say that here, Satan.” She softly whispers to him as all her admirers laugh roaringly, hearing that. We all have now arrived as well. Not that this impresses the rowdy group of idiots. They feel powerful as a group. With no idea how powerful the people are they’re challenging.

But Satan is too frustrated now to listen to her. He can’t use his demonic powers here in the Human World to defend his mate. He can’t threaten them with his status as Avatar. So he rounds on Leila, unfairly.

“Are you okay then with them touching you like they do?!” He shouts at her, barely suppressing his demonic voice. Every customer in the café turns their heads towards the scene now.

“Of course not! I was going to say something about that!” She yells back, her eyes flashing irritated, as Pandora started crying. I quickly take her from her, so that Leila can have her fight with her mate. Apparently that was still coming and needs to be out of their system. “Do I still seem helpless to you?!”

“You can defend yourself where we come from…” he starts, but she interrupts him.

“THAT’S IT! I can defend myself everywhere! When will you realize that I’m strong?” She hisses. It seems he changes his mind on what direction he wants this fight to go. It’s obviously not what’s really bothering him.

“You took this job without even discussing it with us!” He growls. “Working with Simeon, while you KNOW it bothers me that he is around you! You need to stop being so flirty with other people!” Satan shouts, finally letting his true frustrations out. But she’s not having that.

“Excuse me?! I’ve never been flirty in my life!”

“Oh yeah? When Asmo starts touching you and kisses you, you don’t even seem to mind!” He hisses, running his hands through his hair frustratedly. “Like you don’t know what’s going through his head?!”

“OH MY GOD!” She screams. “That again?! How many times do I have to tell you that this is just our thing?! That I don’t want him? Why won’t you believe me?!

But he doesn’t even hear her. “And why do you let Belphie rest his head on your lap and won’t offer ME to do so?”

“Why did you never ask for it? Hm?” She rolls her eyes in her typical way. “Am I supposed to be a mind-reader now too? On top of everything else?!”

Then the idiot that offended her intervenes. “See?” He tells his friends triumphantly. “They’re already fighting. Hahaha! This cutie will be mine in no-time.”

It was pretty stupid of him. Leila flies in such a rage, hearing that, that she rounds on him instead and starts yelling and cursing at him for a whole fifteen minutes. Making him shrink smaller and smaller by the minute. While she’s insulting each piece of his appearance and character, she compares that with how much she loves that about Satan’s. Satan just stands there, getting a goofy, puppy love grin on his face. He has forgotten how furious his mate could get. And how he’s head over heels for her when she lets her fury out. Especially when it's targeted to someone else.

After she’s done scolding her offenders, she points to the door and they all pack up and are gone in a flash. “And don’t let me see your ugly faces here again, or I call the police!” She yells after them.

The café is left in stunned silence. The only thing that can be heard is Pandora’s crying. It was quite the scene. The kind that Simeon wanted. Though this might have been a bit too much? Leila looks around apologetically. She really didn’t want to make a scene like this.

Simeon whispers something in her ear with a smile and she nods. Then she walks to the stage in the corner of the café. So far, nobody felt the need to sing along with the songs that the karaoke machine provides. The ambiance music was enough. But to distract people and to prevent leaving a too awful impression, Leila wants to make it up to everyone.

She apologizes in the microphone to the customers that they had to witness such a scene. She offers to make it up to them by singing a song. She gets an encouraging applause. Apparently people aren't that mad that the group of students was chased away. They were just a bit shocked by the temper of the waitress.

Then Leila starts singing, looking at Satan when she does.

_Guess this means you're sorry_   
_You're standing at my door_   
_Guess this means you take back_   
_All you said before_

“She wants you to sing with her.” I poke Satan in the side while she sings her first verse.

“And then what.” He grumbles. “Like that will solve everything? This isn’t a musical movie, James.” He rolls his eyes at me.

“Just humor her then, okay?” I tell him. And it’s honestly a command. He glares at me and walks to the stage to join his mate. I smile. They’ll be fine. Like always.

**Leila POV**

While I sing the first verse of the song, I see James arguing with Satan. I know what it is about, because I know james. Then I see him give Satan a command and he comes to me reluctantly. But I still smile at him: Even if he doesn’t want this, he will do it for me.

And so he sings the second verse. His voice is beautifully warm, without the edge of anger that he always seems to have. Though I hear the mockery in it, when he sings:

_Like how much you wanted_   
_Anyone but me_   
_Said you'd never come back_   
_But here you are again_

It still feels awkward between us, as we try to sing the chorus together. Our voices match nicely. But we are out of tune with each other. Because we’re tense around each other. I want to fix this.

_'Cause we belong together now, yeah_   
_Forever united here somehow, yeah_   
_You got a piece of me and honestly_   
_My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you_

I apologize to him in my next lines. For leaving him for the Celestial Realm for so long. Even if it couldn’t be helped.

_Maybe I was stupid_   
_For telling you goodbye_

His expression softens, in the one I love so much about him, as he gives me an apology in return.

_Maybe I was wrong_   
_For tryin' to pick a fight_

I tease him with my next lines, making him grin wickedly. He probably adds this to my upcoming ‘punishment’. I can’t wait for when my body is ready for that and smile cheekily at him.

_I know that I've got issues_   
_But you're pretty messed up too_

Satan has a serious expression on his face as he sings:

_Either way I found out I'm nothing without you_

The next chorus is perfect and in harmony. I can see that people are enjoying our performance. Nodding and smiling.

_'Cause we belong together now, yeah_   
_Forever united here somehow, yeah_   
_You got a piece of me and honestly_   
_My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you_

It’s the truth. The next lines we have to sing. It’s bittersweet to know that this is the life we have together. Because we love each other so much.

I sing:  
 _Being with you is so dysfunctional_  
 _I really shouldn't miss you_

And Satan sings:  
 _But I can't let you go_  
 _Oh yeah_

He lets out a heavy sigh, then grabs me firmly around the waist. Holding me close against him he kisses me through the entirety of the chorus. When he lets me go, I’m out of breath and swooning over the fiery passion in his eyes. I’m just leaning against him. But we have to sing the chorus one more time. He smirks wickedly at me, as he has to sing most of it on his own and I do the occasional ‘yeah’.

_'Cause we belong (yeah) together now (together now), yeah_   
_Forever united here somehow, yeah_   
_You got a piece of me and honestly_   
_My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you_

Ugh. Jerk. Stealing my spotlight. I give him a kiss on his cheek. I love him so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: My Life Would Suck Without You  
> Artist: Kelly Clarkson


	6. He’s Not Sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belphegor's apology.

“Man, I’m tired…” Satan flops down on the couch and pulls me on his lap. He’s been pretty clingy ever since we made up. Not that I mind. I don’t like us fighting either. “I never expected today would go like this…”

“Dammit, I hate Simeon.” Mammon complains, putting his sore feet on the coffee table. I immediately kick them off again. We have footstools for that. He rolls his eyes at me and grabs one. “Pushin’ us around and makin’ us work our fingers to the bone…”

“Yeah, he wasn’t really prepared for this invasion of customers on his first opening day.” James agrees, sighing and rubbing his feet. I cast a spell on them to take away the hurt and he smiles at me. “Are you going to be okay working there, Leila?”

“Of course.” I shrug. “Next time I won’t be working full days and Pandora would be here with Satan or Belphie or you, right?”

“Beel, ya seem awfully calm right now, don’cha? What’s the deal? Earlier on ya were cryin’ about how hungry ya were as ya washed those dishes.”

Beelzebub smiles and rubs his belly satisfied. “Well, the BLT’s that Simeon gave us as payment for the work we did earlier were really good. Simeon makes the best BLT’s in the Three Worlds.”

“Yeah, I bet they WERE good, huh?” Mammon grumbles and so does his stomach. “Considerin’ ya ate OURS too.”

“Don’t worry, Mammon.” I tell him. “Remember how we bought groceries? I cast a forcefield over the door of the pantry and the fridge after we put everything away.” I see Beelzebub’s face fall and Mammon, James and Satan grin. “We won’t go hungry tonight. I just need some time to rest and then I can make the potion for the others.”

“Yeah take your time to rest. An extra hour of being sick won’t hurt them.” Satan snuggles me close. Such a demon. Letting his brothers suffer, so he can keep me on his lap. “I have to say, it certainly was a surprise to find that Simeon and Luke are in the Human World too. You really didn’t know, Leila?”

“No. They kept it a secret very well.” I tell him and shrug. “Though of course my mind wasn’t really occupied with what they were doing. I had studies and pregnancy to worry about.”

“They said somethin’ about Michael orderin’ them to coordinate relations between the Human World and Celestial Realm.” Mammon informs Satan.

“Really?” Satan is surprised. “That should be a job for the Dominions, not Simeon or Luke.”

“Okay, what are ya sayin’? That those two were lyin’?

“No…” Satan holds me a little tighter, to my own surprise. “I’m saying that Michael has something else planned.”

Mammon has noticed his movement too and asks him worriedly. “So you’re sayin’ he’s plotting somethin’ again?”

Okay, now they’re making me uncomfortable. I frown and tell them. “Don’t be ridiculous. Not everyone is a scheming demon. Michael was perfectly nice and polite the few times I met him…”

“So, he visited you in the Celestial Realm?” Our demons want to know.

“Yeah, I mean.” I shrug. “He’s a very busy angel, but he’s very fond of Simeon and Luke. They’re kind of unofficially part of his House. He was interested about our situation in the Devildom, about our relationship, about how I got my Ring of Souls and interested in James and Solomon, of course. I don’t think there was anything strange about wanting to know more about those subjects…” I tell them, but when I look around, all I see is frowns on the faces of our demons.

“So then.” James sees my confusion and decides to help me. “Tell us more about your experiences with Michael.” He asks our demons. “Mammon?”

“Eh?” Mammon is shaken from his own thoughts. “Ya wanna know what Michael was like? I’ll tell ya what, he’s like… A demon masqueradin’ as an angel. You wouldn’t believe some of the punishments he dished out to me… It gives me shivers just thinkin’ about it.”

I roll my eyes and Satan also shakes his head and sighs. “Don’t believe everything Mammon says, James. Mammon earned every one of those punishments. He deserved them.”

“I would believe that.” I mumble and James snickers.

“What I know about Michael... “ Satan starts his own walk down memory lane. “I was essentially still a part of Lucifer back then, which means I could only see the world through his eyes, but… how do I put it… He was everything humans imagine an angel to be and more. He had a certain presence about him that’s impossible to put into words…"

“You could say that about Lucifer too.” Beelzebub starts telling his tale. “If I had to sum up what I thought about him in just a few words, I guess I’d say… He smelled tasty.”

I giggle. It’s true that Michael and Luke often were hanging out in the kitchen, exchanging recipes and sweets for tasting.

“He smelled sweet, like cake or whipped cream or cookies.” Beelzebub grins my way as he hears me giggling. “I mean, you must have noticed too right?”

“Oh yeah,” Mammon confirms. “He was always eatin’ sweet stuff like that, wasn’t he? But enough about that… How do I put it… Michael was just a lot like Lucifer. A LOT like him.” Mammon complains some more, obviously holding a grudge.

“Yeah. In terms of appearances, the two of them are polar opposites. But at the same time, they somehow felt like twins.” Satan agrees.

“Oh and another thing… He was crazy about Lucifer! You wouldn’t believe how much he cared about him.”

“I think he was projecting himself on Lucifer, wishing he could be like him.”

“I think you’re all exaggerating.” I tell them. “And holding serious grudges against the Celestial Realm and everyone who lives there. It doesn’t mean they’re scheming something.”

“Let’s hope not.” Satan kisses me and lets me stand up from his lap.

“I really have to make that potion now. There are still people sick in this family.” I say, feeling a bit more rested again. Walking towards the kitchen I invite James to join me. “James, you can watch me make it, so you can learn it too.”

He nods and stands up. And so do Satan, Mammon and Beelzebub. I tell them I don’t need their help, but Satan is curious on how I will make it, Mammon wants a sip in case he still gets sick from that one bite he had, and Beelzebub hopes to raid the pantry, in case I forget to respell it with a forcefield. At least, that is my suspicion. He says that he is interested too on how to make the potion. And that seems very much unlike him, haha!

While making the potion, I explain to James the healing properties of the herbs we bought and how they will work together with the ingredients in the medicine we bought, when we use them together. Enhancing the effects of both with a spell I learned in the Celestial Realm, will make the medicinal potion strong enough to work for the stomachs of our demons.

Mammon takes his sip and James and I bottle up the potion in small bottles. In case we need it for future cooking adventures from Solomon. Satan promises to keep it somewhere safe from Mammon, who looks to be already counting how much grimm he can make by selling these on the black market. And from Beelzebub, who looks disappointed that he didn’t get anything, so I let him lick out the cauldron and eat the leftover herbs. It won’t hurt him, even if he doesn't need it. James takes two bottles for Lucifer and Leviathan and I do too for Belphegor and Asmodeus.

When I bring Belphegor his medicinal potion, I find him still in bed. Almost the same as when I left him. I can immediately tell he’s not as sick as the others. My healing spell for his headache did work. Maybe he is feeling a bit nauseous from the dessert he ate, but it’s definitely not as bad as with the others.

“Belphie, I’ve got your medicine here.”

“You sure took your sweet time.” He grumbles from under his blankets. I feel instantly irritated. The world doesn't revolve around him! “I was sick and I’ve been all alone all day, why didn’t you take care of me?” He complains some more, tugging on my hand, so I land on his bed in his arms.

“I really don’t want to argue about this, Belphie.” I tell him sternly. “It’s been a tough day for me and I’m still mad at you for what you did last night.”

His expression of spoiled, abandoned brat changes as he sits up against the headboard of his bed and looks at me worried. “Tough day? What happened?” He pulls me in his arms. I don’t miss his refusal to acknowledge last night's fight. Later then, I guess. We are going to talk about it, if he wants to or not.

So I snuggle in his arms and let me be comforted by him. He’s the best for that and he knows it. I tell him the story. About how I suddenly got offered a job. Contrary to Satan, he is supportive about that. About how I was harrassed on my first day at work - his eyes flash angrily - how Satan came to my defense, but we ended up in an argument and about how we made up.

“Right.” He nods, snuggling me close. “So, Satan is now ahead of me in your good graces, huh?”

“That’s not exactly how this works, Belphie. It’s not a competition.”

“Oh, but it is.” He tells me, nonchalantly. “And I will always want to be ahead. So… I guess I do have to apologize for last night's fight…”

“That’s definitely something you must do, yes.” I look at him expectantly, but he avoids my eyes. Strange?

“About that…” He starts. “There’s two things I can do: Be honest with you, or lie to you. And both options won’t earn me your forgiveness. At least that’s what I think. But since I promised to never lie to you, or trick you, I will just be honest with you.”

“Okay…” Where is he going with this? Why should his honesty make me not forgive him?

“You see, Leila…” He holds me tight against his chest as if afraid I will run from him. “Even though I am sorry for making you mad for putting Pandora in danger last night… It was really stupid of me, not to think about her when I went after Asmo… But I’m not actually sorry I went after Asmo…”

I’m not saying anything. I know he will explain this. But it makes me feel sad. They promised me that they would not make me sad with their competition. As I promised not to take more mates until he and Satan were okay with it. Is he breaking his promise? I feel like crying. I don’t want people fighting over me.

“Don’t cry, Leila.” He notices and rubs my back soothingly. “The thing is… He needed to know that he has to stop what he is doing with you. Chasing you like that. I know Asmo loves you. But he isn’t good for you. Not how he is now, being the Avatar of Lust. You want someone faithful, like Satan and me. Now that we have you, we would never make you sad by chasing other females. We will love you and stay faithful to you for the rest of our eternal life.”

I smile, snuggling even closer to him. “Thank you, that is comforting to know.” I whisper.

“Yeah.” He gives me a kiss on my head. “Asmo… I don’t think he will stop loving you, but staying faithful… Maybe he can manage that for a decade? Trust me on this Leila, I know him much longer than you. Even if he loves you just as much as we do, he will eventually make you sad. And I can’t tolerate that. What he was doing last night and will continue doing, if I don’t stop him now, is disruptive to the dynamic we have. And that will make you unhappy. I won’t allow it. He needs to leave us alone, at least while you’re so sensitive.”

Oh, so he was not fighting over me. He was defending me, like Satan did this afternoon? Me and our relationship. I feel myself relax in his arms and I can tell he feels that. He lets out a sigh of relief.

“So… I try to not be so aggressive from now on, when coming to your defense.” He continues. “But I won’t allow him to join our relationship, unless I’m sure that all he wants is to make **you** happy, instead of himself. I will never allow it, Leila.” He intently looks into my eyes, his voice sounds determined.

I realize that it’s definitely going to be Belphegor, instead of me, who decides who joins our relationship and when, even if it seems that Satan is more aggressive about it. I guess it’s been like this from the beginning. I’m fine with it. It gives me a sense of feeling protected.

“Okay.” I say again. “I forgive you. Just… Don’t destroy the house we live in, when you are coming to my defense. Your spellcasting was much too violent, last night.”

He chuckles and kisses me passionately. “As long as you realize I’m as powerful as you, even though I’m lazy about it. Don’t underestimate me, Leila.”

“I never did.” I tell him. “Underestimating a demon would be just stupid.”

“Exactly. Now, give me that potion you made. I’m still not feeling great.” He commands me and starts acting like the poor sick brat, that wants to be taken care of, again.

Well that’s too bad for him. After I have given him the potion that he seemed to like, I tell him I need to bring a potion to Asmodeus as well. He gets a sour expression on his face but nods. He knows that I will wait for his approval, before starting anything with Asmodeus. We just promised it to each other again.

But before I can go, he pulls me back again. Lying on top of me and kissing me. “I’m going to sleep in your room again.” He whispers in my ear when he lets me breathe for a moment. “I’ll make sure to be the first, when you are ready for sex again.” He tells me with a wicked smirk. I push him off me in protest, but can’t help but giggle when he’s not letting me and instead starts tickling and kissing me. We end up in some kind of sexy wrestling game that leaves me with a flushed face and very little clothes on my body. He’s definitely not sick anymore!

Eventually he reluctantly lets me go. Even though Asmodeus is not his favorite right now, he still doesn’t want him to stay sick. So while I gather up my clothes and get dressed again, he announces, with pillows and blankets and what not in his arms, that he’s going to my attic room to check up on Pandora. And probably to install himself for sleeping there almost every night from now on. Judging by what he is bringing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to split up the chapter and not have the apologies of Belphegor and Asmodeus cramped up in the same.  
> So next chapter is possibly also a little short. We'll see :)


	7. Give Your Heart a Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asmodeus' apology

When I walk to Asmodeus room, I see a commotion in the distance in front of his door. Mammon, Satan and Beelzebub are shouting and banging on the door, looking worried. I quickly walk up to them.

“Yo Asmo!” Mammon shouts, looking ready to break down the door. “I’m gonna kill ya!”

“What’s going on?!” I ask them when I have arrived. Stopping Mammon from actually breaking the door.

“I tell ya what’s goin’ on!” He yells angrily, but also worried. “There’s a buncha water leakin’ into the room below his room…”

I’m instantly worried as well. Demons apparently can drown. I’ve learned that with our Siren’s Song adventure.

“Okay, don’t panic.” I tell them. “Asmo has his lock spelled, so only he can enter. But he has allowed me to enter as well, so…”

I try the doorknob, while both Mammon and Satan look irritated by that new knowledge. They know their brother. It doesn’t surprise them, but still... I look up and see Satan’s scowl when the door opens. “It’s only the first time I've tried this…” I tell him, to ease his mind.

He nods. He’s more irritated by his brother's trickery than by me being able to enter Asmodeus' room. When we step in, Asmodeus is nowhere to be seen. Where is Asmo?

“Is he in his bathroom?” Beelzebub suggests walking to the door that connects Asmodeus' room with his bathroom. “There is a sound of running water coming from there.”

It seems to be the most plausible. Though I’m wondering for a moment how a Devildom bathroom can be leaking water into the Human World. I have to ask Barbatos more about these portals of his, when I get the chance. It boggles my mind.

“Let’s check.” I decide. “At least we have to turn off the water.”

“Right, if Lucifer finds out about this, he’ll do more than just string us up from the ceiling.” Mammon states, but I roll my eyes. Surely Lucifer wouldn’t punish him for something Asmodeus did?

When we enter, we see Asmodeus lying almost unconscious in his bath. He groans softly. He doesn’t look good. His brothers rush towards him and pull him out of his bath and put him in a robe, before they let me enter the bathroom. I giggle. They’re ancient demons of Sin, but a bit prude when it comes to me or James. I’m not allowed to see Asmodeus naked, apparently. Not as long as he is not my mate.

“Asmo! Hey, what’s wrong?!” Mammon yells at him, worriedly.

Satan helps him with holding up his brother. “Looks like he’s half unconscious. Leila, the healing spell.”

I cast the spell on Asmodeus and to our relief, it seems that most of his pain disappears from his face and he wakes up. Satan smiles proudly at me.

“Ugh… mmh…” Asmodeus groans, still hurting it seems.

“Asmo, are you okay?” Beelzebub has just turned off the water and is now supporting his brother as well.

“No, I’m not okay…” Asmodeus complains. “But if Leila would just… kiss me, then I might get better…” All three of his brothers instantly let go of him, making him almost fall. But he manages to stay upright, so he might not be okay… But he’s fine. I roll my eyes.

“Y’know what? Ya can go ahead and die for all I care!” Mammon huffs, stomping back to Asmodeus bedroom, where he waits with his arms crossed.

Beelzebub is angry with him too. Something you don’t see often. Asmodeus shouldn’t have angered his twin like he did. “I shouldn’t have worried about you. What a waste of energy.” He wraps an arm around me. “Don’t fall for that, Leila.”

“Hey! That’s MEAN!” Asmodeus protests, but none of his brothers care right now. “I wasn’t lying exactly. I do feel a little dizzy.”

“Leila made a potion for everyone that should help.” Satan gives it to Asmodeus, not letting me come closer. “If you’re able to joke around like that with us, then I’d say you’re just fine.”

“But I want to rest in beeed.” Asmodeus whines like a little child. “And I want Leila to take me there…”

“Of all the… ugh.” Satan growls annoyed. “You have some nerve requesting that, after provoking us last night like that, Asmo.” He looks at me and nods when he sees my face. I have to have a talk with Asmodeus too. And he trusts me. “Fine. Mammon and I will go make you some soup. The medicine should take effect quickly. Beel, you clean up here. Leila…” He pauses and I can see he really doesn’t want to say the next words. “... stay with Asmo.”

“Oh Satan, my wonderful big brother! You’re sooo sweet!” Asmodeus throws his arms around him.

“Whatever.” Satan shrugs him off. Not planning to forgive him, before I do. “Shut up and go to bed.”

So that’s how I now help Asmodeus to bed. Of course he’s leaning too heavy on me, as soon as Satan is out of the room. Making me lose my balance as I try to let him sit on his bed, pulling me with him. Such a drama queen. Does he really think I will just fall for that?

“Thank you so much for helping me into bed, Leila.” Asmodeus sighs, wrapping me in his arms. “I already feel a little better now. So, talk to me. I find the sound of your voice soothing, so go ahead...”

He pulls me on his chest, and again I tell about my day at the café. I can feel him go tense at the part where I got harassed and he relaxes when I tell him how it all ended well, eventually. How both Satan and Belphegor apologized in their own ways, and I hear him sigh.

“I know I should do that too… I’m sorry I have made you mad. I am, but...” I hear him sigh, as he holds me tight against him. What’s going on? “The thing is, Leila… You read that text, right? It started as a practical joke to tease my brothers. I was annoyed by the way they keep you away from me. Although I think I’m starting to understand the real reason why they’re doing it… Anyway, It was a lyric prank. But while I was typing all of that… It felt I was telling them the truth. I want you.”

“Asmo…”

“I know, I know. ‘It’s complicated’. You ‘love me, but can’t’. Etcetera…” He repeats what I’ve been telling him countless times, sounding annoyed. “Seriously, why do you have to be so stubborn?” He complains. “Never in my life have I had to work so hard for someone and… All I do is make you sad, right? Instead of giving you pleasure and eufory, like I’m supposed to do.”

“It’s not…”

“I’m doing everything wrong with you…” He interrupts me and sits against his headboard. He pulls me up too. “Listen to this, Leila. It’s another Human World song I found. First I didn’t get it. Heartbreak… I’ve never felt that. I could never understand it. But seeing you like this… The things you have been through. The things I make you go through... I think I finally understand what it means…”

He presses ‘play’ and a very familiar song plays from his phone. He softly sings the lyrics along, changing them to fit our situation.

_The day I first met you_  
_You told me you never fall in love_  
_But now that I get you_  
_I know fear is what it really was_  
_Now here we are so close yet so far_  
_How did you pass the test?_  
_When will I realize_  
_Baby you’re not like the rest_

He softly kisses me and then holds me by my shoulders. Looking intently in my eyes, he sings the chorus. No, he is telling me.

_Don't wanna break your heart_  
_Wanna give your heart a break_  
_I know you're scared it's wrong_  
_Like you might make a mistake_  
_There's just one life to live_  
_And there's no time to wait to waste_  
_So let me give your heart a break_

“Asmo, what…?”

“I think you know what, Sunshine.” He sighs and he sounds sad. “It’s not that I’m going to give up on you forever. Don’t think that… But… For now, I’m going to give you a break. So you can work on your relationship with my brothers. Raise Pandora.”

I cuddle against him. It feels like he is still my friend from before, but without the tension of having to reject him on every turn. I think he senses my relaxation, because he softly laughs.

“I’m going to have eternity to sweep you off your feet, after all.” He smirks. “It’s going to happen, Leila. Mark my words. I can’t resist you. But I can wait. I don’t understand how I thought that I couldn’t. You are worth all the time in the Three Worlds.”

_When my lips are on your lips_  
_Our hearts beat as one_  
_But you slip out of my fingertips_  
_Every time you run_

He kisses me firmly once. Like a goodbye? But then starts giving me sweet light kisses that make me giggle. “Let’s be friends who kiss, for now. How does that sound?”

I giggle. “Satan and Belphie still won’t like that…”

“Yeah well… We all have to make compromises, don’t we?” He shrugs nonchalantly and hugs me tight against him. “I’m not doing this for them, but for you. And there’s no way I’m going to stop kissing you. You’re just too sweet.”

_Don't wanna break your heart_  
_Wanna give your heart a break_  
_I know you're scared it's wrong_  
_Like you might make a mistake_  
_There's just one life to live_  
_And there's no time to wait to waste_  
_So let me give your heart a break_

_'Cause you’ve been hurt before_  
_I can see it in your eyes_  
_You try to smile it away_  
_Some things you can not disguise_  
_Don't wanna break your heart_  
_Baby I will ease the ache, the ache_  
_So let me give your heart a break_

“Thank you Asmo.” I sigh while we listen to the song. “I really think I need this right now.”

“I know. It’s why I’m doing this. I might not know everything about love. But I do know I love you.” He pulls me down on his bed again. “Let’s have a nap together. And for what it’s worth: I really am sorry about the way I handled the situation. I should have thought about you, not me.”

It hit me that this is exactly what Belphegor said to me earlier. Maybe Asmodeus really is learning? He sings the last bit in my ear and I can hear he really means it.

_Give your heart a break_  
_Let me give your heart a break_  
_Your heart a break_  
_There's just so much you can take_  
_Give your heart a break_  
_Let me give your heart a break_  
_Your heart a break_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. Sad.  
> But I think that for now this is best for everyone. Don't give up on Asmo and Leila! Asmo isn't either ;)
> 
> Song: Give Your Heart a Break  
> Artist: Demi Lovato


	8. Serendipity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leila and James have a strange, but nice, dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe I wrote it a little bit cuter than the game... Just a bit.

_~The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.~_

**Leila POV**

“So Angel’s Halo is run by Simeon and Luke, huh?”

We’re still lying on Asmodeus' bed. He makes me feel safe now and not on guard to keep my boundaries clear, like I had to before. This is nice. I know it’s not what he wants exactly, but it’s what he is giving me.  
To relax for the nap he suggested, we are just having small talk.

“Ugh, now I really wish I’d gone. I mean, Simeon makes such good coffee.”

“Yeah.” I giggle. “Apparently so good that people think it can make you fall in love. It was so busy, working there today.”

“I’m so jealous.” He complains, rubbing my back. “I wish I had been there. It would have been so nice to sit back with a cup of tea and watch you and the others dash about frantically, attending to the flood of customers.” He snickers wickedly.

“You think you could have resisted Simeons dazzling Celestial smile?” I roll my eyes. “He would have put you to work too.”

“Sunshine, when I was an angel, I INVENTED that smile.” He boasts. “It would have been at least a fun challenge for me to see who would win…”

“I’m sure you get your chance, Asmo.” I tell him. “I work there now and I expect you to become a regular customer. Got it?”

“Of course! Someone has to keep an eye on you.” He’s serious now. “I don’t want to hear about any more guys that are bothering you. I’m surprised Satan didn’t burn him to a crisp.”

“I think he wanted to…” I start seriously. “Believe me, I wanted to do it too. It’s just not something you can do in the Human World without consequences…”

“Yeah…” He nods, imagining the scene. “Oh, speaking of Simeon and Luke. That reminds me of something. While I was unconscious just now, I dreamt about the time I was still an angel. Hehehe. It’s been so long since I’ve seen Michael’s face, you know? Oh, but I guess for you it’s not even been that long?”

“Not so long, no.” I shake my head. “He was there seeing me off a few days ago.”

“So?” Asmodeus wiggles his eyebrows. “Was he just as stunningly beautiful as I remembered him in my dream?” He’s obviously fishing, though

“Asmo. All you angels and demons are stunningly beautiful.” I indulge him and pretend to be envious about that fact and he lets out a pleased giggle. “I really don’t know how you could fall in love with humans, when our competition is like you and them…”

“I don’t know why that is either…” I can hear him thinking over this question. “Demons can feel lust for other demons, but love… We can only feel that for humans. Angels don’t even reproduce like us. They are all created. But they do know love and they too can fall in love with humans. As you may know from what we told you about Lilith. But having a child with a human was always forbidden in both the Celestial Realm and Devildom.”

“Why was that?”

“Most likely to protect the Human World from being overrun by nephilim. We don’t know much about it, honestly. There were more nephilim in ancient times. You must have heard the stories? You probably recall them from mythology. Zeus, for example, was very fond of sexing with humans, creating all kinds of nephilim with them. Much to his mate Hera’s anger.” Asmodeus giggles as if remembering and I do too.

Thinking about it this way, there must have been loads of nephilim. And a lot of them were even famous enough to write stories about. I need to brush up on my mythology, which is possibly just a variant of history for demons? It might help me raise Pandora. I bet Satan would want to help me with this. I smile, already getting excited for these research sessions.

“Anyway, back to my dream… I was trying to not run into Raphael. He scares me.”

“I haven’t met him.” I tell him. “I haven’t met most of the Seraphim-Archangels, apart from Simeon, Michael and the Angel of Death last year…”

“I’m sure they were all very busy and honestly… It might have been a bit strange to them to have a pregnant human living in the Celestial Realm. Pregnant with a demon. And not any demon, but one of us Avatars…”

“So, I made them uncomfortable?” I say worried. “I didn’t notice any of the other angels being like that around me…”

“Don’t worry about it, Leila.” He comforts me as if he can sense my confusion about that. “Seraphim are just that uptight, most of the time. Besides, you have been chosen by the Angel of Death to have the Ring of Souls. You’re not just any human yourself. Anyway… In my dream Michael wouldn’t stop talking about Lucifer… He kept going on and on…”

And so does Asmodeus, telling me about his dream, I feel myself finally relaxing enough to fall asleep. Imagining how all our demons used to be when they were still angels… I still sometimes wonder how they all were, back then...

“...Hey, you two…” I hear a familiar voice. “Are you okay? Hellooo? Can you hear me?”

I open my eyes and see myself in a beautiful forest. It’s very bright here and it feels familiar. I think I’ve been in a forest like this with Luke a few times, to see if we could find Pegasi… Then I notice Asmodeus kneeling beside me. But he looks a little different. Still eccentric, though. What is he even wearing? Wait, is that a halo?

“Ah, good. You opened your eyes.” He says and then starts launching into a string of strange questions and comments. Like he doesn’t know me?. “What happened to you? What are you two doing, sleeping in a place like this? I don’t think I’ve ever seen either of you around here before…”

Who else is he talking about? I look around some more and see James next to me. Staring around, just as confused. We have a celestial glow, - like our souls shine on the outside, the way normally only demons and angels can see - and we are dressed like angels now. James is wearing some nice looking angelic clothing and is looking super handsome. And I’m wearing the clothes I was wearing during my stay in the Celestial Realm. The fabric feels so light and comfortable.

_Is this a dream?_ I ask him.  
 _I think so._ He nods. _But how can we be in the same dream?_  
We both shrug. We have seen stranger things, right? Let’s dream this dream and see what happens.

“Hello Asmo…”

“Wait… You know my name? What am I saying? Of course you do. I mean, who in the Celestial Realm doesn’t know me, right? So, tell me…” Asmodeus helps us both up. “Who might you be?”

_Has he forgotten us?_   
_Maybe he hasn’t met us yet?_

James and I decide that this must be some kind of dream or vision that has transported us to the past. And this must be Asmodeus from when he was still an angel. I’m so happy! I was always curious about how he used to be. The Jewel of the Heavens. Well, that wasn’t an exaggeration. He’s stunning. Anyway, we better play along. So we tell him our names.

“I see, so your names are James and Leila? Those are good names. They suit you.” He looks at us curiously. “You two are looking confused. And it makes you look really adorable. I’ve never seen such cute angels before.” He flirts, coming close and running his hands gently over our faces. Then he backs off, as if realizing something. “Wait… Just to be absolutely sure, you don’t work for Raphael, do you?” He starts pacing the forest floor. “Oh, that would be just like him. Sending the cutest angels after me, to find me and take me back to the Celestial city…”

“We don’t work for Raphael.” James tries to calm him. “I think we just got lost…” _In time and space,_ he adds for my eyes only and I giggle.

“Oh good.” He sends us a dazzling smile and now I know what he meant by being able to give Simeon a run for his money with it. “Because the truth is that I went to something called a ‘party’ in the Human World, while I was there for an errand for him the other day. I had never been to one before. I wore a disguise of course. So nobody would know I was an angel… Anyway, it was just… just… SO MUCH FUN!” He beams literally. “But Raphael says it’s a wicked and immoral thing to do… What do you think?”

“Going to a party?” James wonders.

“Or sneaking off to a party?” I ask him as well.

“Oh, that is a good question.” Asmodeus nods. “I should ask Raphael that, next time he lectures me… But the party was so much fun. It would be a tragedy if I could never experience such a thing again. And I think I should be able to have fun!”

“Don’t worry, Asmo” James snickers and I punch him. “I’m sure you will have plenty of fun.”

Asmodeus is looking confused between us, but then shrugs. “Anyway, Raphael found out about it, so he called me in to see him. But I just hate getting lectured, so I thought I’d sneak off and hide somewhere. That’s when I found you here on the ground.” He wraps his arms around us. “So, what do you say to you and I…”

“Asmo.” We suddenly hear another familiar voice and James' face lights up. But Asmodeus startles and lets out a squeak. “What are you doing here?”

Before us stands a very handsome looking Beelzebub as an angel. James is practically swooning. He already does that around him when he’s a demon, but it’s definitely worse now. Maybe that’s because Beelzebub isn’t wearing any clothes on his upper body? He’s decorated in jewelry instead and wears just wide white pants, also adorned with jewelry. He really does look good like this.

“Ugh, Beel… It’s you. You nearly gave me a heart attack! Don’t scare me like that.” Asmodeus complains to him.

“I don’t think I was particularly scary.” Beelzebub shrugs, looking curious over to us.

“Well, whatever.” Asmodeus is already over it. “This is perfect timing! Could you do me a favor and open the gates to the Celestial Realm?”

“No.”

“No? That’s it? You’re not even going to pretend to consider it?” Asmodeus acts offended, but not very surprised.

“Asmo.” Beelzebub ignores him further. “Who are they?”

“Oh, these adorable little things are James and Leila… I just found them on the forest floor sleeping. James, Leila, this is Beelzebub, one of the Cherubim. He guards the gates to the Celestial Realm.” Asmodeus introduces us to each other proudly. “But maybe you already knew him? He’s a very famous angel, after all. You know the rumor that Lucifer recommends Beel to be the next angel promoted to Seraphim. Everyone is talking about it!”

“Really?” James beams to him, making Beelzebub blush with his puppy love eyes of adoration.

“Lucifer hasn’t said anything to me.” Beelzebub denies shyly. “It’s just a story someone made up. Anyway, are you okay? Asmo hasn’t tried anything on you? Be careful. He hits on anything that moves.”

Asmodeus looks at him in shock. “Excuse me? What an awful thing to say! I just happen to feel love towards everyone I meet, that’s all. Doesn’t mean I get intimate with everyone, okay? It only LOOKS like I hit on people at random.”

“So far, he’s been very gentlemanly.” I stand up for him and he beams at me.

“I just happen to see the good in whoever I happen to be with.” Asmodeus explains to Beelzebub, who obviously couldn’t care less. Probably having heard that speech before several times.

“Anyway, James…” He’s more interested in him. “You look like you’re hungry.”

“Are you just ignoring me?!”

Yes, he is. “Here, I have some sweet treats Michael gave me earlier.” Beelzebub offers James, who is still swooning. “Go ahead, take them.”

“Thank you!” James smiles up at him. “Are you sure you don’t want to eat them yourself?”

“No, it’s fine. I think I’ve been eating too much recently. I feel like I’ve gained weight, so I’ve gone on a diet. I’m trying to lay off the sweets.”

James and I can’t help but burst into giggles together, hearing that. Leaving the two angels looking at us in amused surprise. We can see what they’re thinking on their faces: These two young angels are very cute.

“So, what are you doing here anyway, Beel?” Asmodeus shrugs and decides to let us have our giggle.

“Ah well…” Beelzebub is looking at the treetops now. “I actually came here looking for Belphie.”

Now it is my turn to get excited! James pokes me in a teasing way. It’s probably all over my face and I should try to hide it better. But that’s just impossible. Do I get to see my cute cuddle demon as a cute cuddle angel? Yay! But where is he then?

“I haven’t seen Belphie here.” Asmodeus tells him. “Are you sure he’s here in the middle of the forest?”

“Oh yeah, he’s here. See for yourself...” Beelzebub steps over to a very large tree and starts shaking the trunk. We look on with our mouths open. How can he even shake such a big tree? I mean, we knew he was strong. He just never showed it much like that, you know?

Then suddenly someone comes crashing through the branches!

“Eeek!” Asmodeus screams, when that someone lands right before his feet on the forest floor. It’s Belphegor! James stops me from rushing over to hug him. That might look weird, if they don’t know us yet.

“Ow… ugh…” He stands up and brushes himself off, like it didn’t really hurt. That’s a relief.

“Belphie! WHY did you just come crashing down out of that tree?!” Asmodeus demands to know indignantly.

Belphegor pats him apologetically on the shoulder. He didn’t want to scare him like that. “Ugh… Beel, Why’d you go and do that?”

“Don’t blame me. You shouldn’t have been napping in that tree.”

“Even so, you didn’t have to shake it until I came tumbling…” He argues back, but stops suddenly when he notices James and me. “Wait a minute.” He looks at us, curious and smiling. But mostly surprised. “What are these humans doing here?”

**James POV**

I tug on Leila’s sleeve, to prevent her from flinging her arms around Belphegor in a hug, as he comes walking over to us to inspect us. She’s so happy to finally be able to see her mate how he used to be as an angel. Apparently it doesn’t disappoint her. Heh. He looks to be dressed a lot like Beelzebub, only in darker colors and less jewelry. Instead he wears some kind of cloak. He grins at her when he sees her smiling like that. It’s almost like he already knows her.

“You think we look like humans?” She finally asks him.

That surprises him. Looking inquisitively in her eyes he asks. “Wait…? You mean you’re not?” He inspects us a little closer, walking around us, laying a careful hand on her belly, making her blush. Can he sense she gave birth not so long ago? “I’m usually not wrong…”

“Ugh, really Belphie. WHAT are you doing?” Asmodeus frowns impatiently, looking at his brother’s strange behaviour. “Do you need to have your eyes checked?”

“Yes, Belphie.” Beelzebub agrees with him. “James and Leila are angels.”

“Wh… Angels? Are you sure?” Belphegor looks back to him and then seems to change his mind about something. “Well, now that you mention it, I guess I can see it. I do detect an ‘angelic’ vibe… But I sense something humanlike too.” He looks at Leila again, his hand back on her belly, and he whispers so only we can hear. “Especially with you. You’re nephilim, aren’t you? Don’t worry, I won’t tell them.”

I don’t think we’re nephilim. Not like Pandora is, at least. But he is close. Lilith's children were. And we descend from them. Leila and I can’t help looking worried and surprised. But the other two angels luckily don’t notice it.

“Tch, honestly Belphie.” Asmodeus shakes his head with pity. “All you ever think about are humans. I’m guessing that’s why they seem like one to you?”

“Yeah.” Beelzebub chuckles. “You do love humans, Belphie. But I’m glad to see you taking an interest in angels now too.”

“Yes I like humans.” Belphegor smiles at him. “What’s wrong with that? Humans are interesting.” He sighs. “If only I’d been born a human rather than an angel...”

“Excuse me?” Asmodeus looks at him horrified. “Would you please not say things like that? You’re going to get us in trouble. What if Raphael finds out, hm? He’s already angry enough at me as it is!”

“That’s good.” Beelzebub laughs teasingly. “You can just take the heat in Belphies place. Since he’s going to yell at you anyway.”

“Absolutely not!”

While Beelzebub and Asmodeus launch into a discussion, Belphegor focusses himself on us again. Well, mostly Leila. He’s really not so different from his demon self when he’s around her. I remember how Beelzebub once told me that Leila brings out the angel Belphegor used to be. Without having to summon it with a spell. And I guess I can really see it now. This angel is in love. He fell in love with her the moment he saw her. Just as he did in the future, as a demon.

“What do you think is so interesting about humans?” I ask him.

He grins mischievously at me. Looking suddenly a lot like his demon self. “For one, the way they reproduce.” He grins even more, seeing Leila blush. “As angels, we’re not supposed to have those kinds of desires. If I were a human… Then it wouldn’t be taboo wanting to get to know you better, right?” He caresses Leila’s face gently and then whispers to us again. “So… Do you know who your angelic ancestor is?”

Uh-oh. He has us almost figured out. We better not make him any wiser than he already is now. So we lie and shake our heads. He seems disappointed, but then shrugs.

“Anyway.” We suddenly hear Beelzebub say again. “What are we going to do about our lost angels?” He places a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“Is it okay if I keep Leila?” Asmodeus smiles brilliantly at her, reaching out a hand. But Belphegor pulls her back.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He firmly holds her hand and keeps her away from his brother.

“Aww, come on…” Asmodeus pouts. “She’s so cute. And I found them first…”

Ignoring him, Belphegor turns to the rest of us. “Normally, we’re supposed to bring any lost angels we find to Lucifer.”

“I can take them.” Beelzebub offers. “I don’t mind. Lucifer told me to find Belphie and bring him back, after all. So I was going there anyway.”

“Wait, what?! Lucifer is looking for me?” Belphegor looks ready to take off again, but Beelzebub quickly grabs him. “Ah… No!” He struggles to get out of his hold. “Let me go! I don’t want to go! I just know he’s going to yell at me for skipping today’s Ceremony!”

Leila and I look on with big eyes of surprise. They really didn’t change THAT much from being turned from angels into demons. “Still a bunch of idiots.” I hear Leila whisper very quietly.

Asmodeus giggles, looking at the scene. Wrapping an arm around both our shoulders he says. “Well then, sounds like I get to keep you after all…”

But then…

“Ah-ha! I THOUGHT I heard some awfully familiar voices…” We hear another familiar voice… “Finally I found you! I’ve been looking all over for you guys…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, who am I kidding? A LOT! Ahaha!


	9. Hiraeth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dream continues, but why does it feel so real?

_~The feeling of longing for a home that never was. A deep and irrational bond felt with a time, era, place or person.~_

“Ugh… Mammon?” Asmodeus complains with a sigh. “You scared me half to death! Would you please not appear out of thin air like that?”

It is indeed Mammon. Looking like he wrapped a bunch of cloth around himself haphazardly and tied it up with some belts and golden chains. Leila can’t help giggling seeing him like that and I have a bit of trouble holding a straight face as well.

“Eh, whatever Asmo. I’ll do what I want.” Mammon shrugs and then focuses on us. He inspects us curiously, just like Belphegor did. “So, who do we have here, huh?” He sounds gruff, but we see a gentleness in his eyes. “Are these your newest playthings, Asmo?”

“No, though that would be nice…” Asmodeus smiles charmingly at us and tries again to pull us in his arms, but Belphegor and Beelzebub pull us away from him immediately.

“They’re just lost, Mammon.” Belphegor wraps his arm around Leila’s waist, making Mammon raise his eyebrows. “This is Leila. I think she’s cute.” He introduces her with a smile. She rolls her eyes over that unusual introduction, making them all grin.

“Yep.” Beelzebub has his arm around my shoulder. “And this is James.”

“Ya don’t say?” Mammon grins, looking between his brothers. “Never heard of ‘em before. But ya look like ya like ‘em.”

“James, Leila. This is Mammon.” Beelzebub introduces us. “Mammon is Lucifer’s assistant. He’s a Throne. And out of all the Thrones, he’s the one Lucifer trusts most. So relax. There’s no need to worry.”

Leila and I look at each other.  
 _Worry?_  
 _Why should we worry?_  
We shrug, guess we’ll find out soon enough.

“Right…” Asmodeus agrees with Beelzebub. “But, he used to be a real handful, to the point that even Michael didn’t know what to do with him. But he’s grown into someone who can do anything he sets his mind to. More than anyone else in the Celestial Realm.”

“Y’know, I sorta don’t like the way ya just introduced me, Asmo.” Mammon shrugs. “Ya could have left the first bit out of it.”

“Well, It’s the truth, after all.” Belphegor tells him. “You used to be so bad that we all assumed you were a hair away from being cast out of the Celestial Realm.”

“So, a Throne?” I ask, curiously.

“Well yeah, technically I’m a Throne.” Mammon blushes a bit embarrassed. “I’d rather have stayed a Guardian, but Lucifer had to go and recommend me as a Throne. Which is nothin’ but lame busywork…”

“I really have to hand it to Lucifer for managing to put Mammon on the straight and narrow. Because he used to be SO awful.” Belphegor gossips to Leila.

“That’s not very nice to say.” She tells him sternly and he frowns at her. Like her defending Mammon, surprises and bothers him.

“It’s true.” He continues, ignoring her stern eyes. “Like, he brought back a bunch of pigeon feathers from the Human World, and then he tried to sell them to lower-rank angels by saying that they came off of Raphael.” He grins again as she starts giggling.

“Someone actually fell for that?” I laugh as well.

“Right, and he ordered around the Army of Angels for the fun of it.” Beelzebub confirms. “Saying he was playing a game of ‘Angel Chess’, or something.”

“Hey, c’mon. I was just playin’ a few pranks!” Mammon defends himself loudly. “It was no big deal. Just some innocent fun.”

“It does sound like fun.” I agree with him. “But probably not for everyone else.”

“Maybe not…” Mammon shrugs and then grins. “But it was fun for me!”

“Mammon wants to be like Lucifer some day.” Asmodeus tells us. “A Seraphim.”

“And what if I do?”

“Well, that’s never going to happen.” Belphegor tells him. “You’re not like Lucifer, you’re Mammon. And you can’t become something you’re not.”

“Shaddup! What do ya care, anyway?!” Mammon shouts. “Gimme enough time and one day I might do it! I don’t care what you say! Just watch me!”

Belphegor looks grinning at Mammon, having him all riled up. Leila tugs on his arm. “Don’t tease him, Belphie.” He frowns again at her. Obviously not liking it, that she seems to want to defend Mammon. Just as he is in the future. He wants all her attention going to him.

“So…” I ask curiously. “You all really love Lucifer, don’t you?”

“H-Hey, nobody said anything about lovin’ him. Don’t make it weird!” Mammon blushes and Leila and I laugh again. Mammon is also not very different from his future demon self.

“Well, I love him.” Beelzebub smiles. “I’m proud to be in his House.”

“I love him, too.” Belphegor nods, but then as if something comes to mind he says. “Though I don’t love his lectures.”

“I ADORE Lucifer!” Asmodeus beams. “Although I don’t like how he yells at me for every little thing I happen to do wrong.” He says, as an afterthought.

Mammon rolls his eyes, feeling the minority. “Grr… I hate ya guys, ya know that?!”

“Oh please…” Asmodeus giggles, throwing an arm around Mammon. “You know you love him too, Mammon. I mean, it’s so obvious.”

“Hey! No! I told ya, it’s not like that!”

Seeing Mammon uncomfortable, Beelzebub changes the subject. “Anyway… Mammon, did you need to talk to us about something?”

“Wha?”

“When you first showed up, you said you’d ‘finally found us’, or something. So what is this about?” Belphegor explains to him.

“Ah, that’s right. I almost forgot.” Mammon nods. “Belphie, Beel… Lucifer wants to see ya.”

“Ugh...” Belphegor complains. “I don’t want to see him. Not right now. I just know he’s going to lecture me…”

“And Asmo, as long as you’re here too…” Mammon continues. “Raphael was walkin’ around looking for ya. He had his spear on him.”

“Yikes…” Asmodeus gasps and he gets tears in his eyes thinking about his upcoming punishment.

Mammon grins at the look of his brothers feeling uncomfortable. “So, c’mon. Let’s head to the Celestial Palace.” He takes them both by the elbow and is about to take off.

“Wait a minute!” Asmodeus stops him. “We’re in enough trouble as it is. If the Seraphim find out about Leila and James, it’ll just make things worse!”

“What do you mean?” Leila wonders, asking a bit worried. “Are we in trouble too?”

“No, don’t worry.” Beelzebub tells us in a comforting way. “You’re just lost angels.”

“Yes, but what if they think it’s our fault they didn’t go to the Ceremony today?” Asmodeus nearly panics. “Who knows what they’ll do to us.”

“Right.” Beelzebub nods, thinking. “You’ve got a point. Should we go ahead and hide them some place for now? Just until we have explained things to Lucifer.”

They all seem to agree that is the best idea for now. Even if Leila and I have no clue what’s going on. It would be weird to ask, since we’re supposed to be angels at the moment. We’re supposed to know what they’re talking about right? If we’re patient, all pieces fall in place eventually.

“Well, if we’re going to hide them, there’s only one place to do so right?” Belphegor takes Leila’s hand and starts walking. “We all know where that is…”

Beelzebub nods and takes my hand and follows him. We’re soon out of the forest and walking towards the familiar looking Celestial city I remember from visiting last year in reality. On our way there our demons - or should we say angels? - start a discussion.

“So, do you think we get to have James and Leila joining our House in the next Ceremony?” Asmodeus aks. “That would be so lovely!”

“I dunno.” Mammon shrugs. “But I don’t think so. We’ve just got a new angel today. A very little one. His name is Luke. And ya know a House almost never gets too many new angels at the same time.”

“Beel and I joined together…”

“Yeah. And ya know it took some time after that, before Lilith joined.” Mammon agrees. “I just think that these two are a package deal as well, like you and Beel, and will be joinin’ a different House together…”

He sounds a little disappointed and the others look like that too. Leila and I can’t tell them we will be part of their family in the future anyway. It would be comforting to tell them not to worry about that. But we can’t.

“Hey, stop lookin’ around at everything all wide-eyed and stuff.” Mammon shouts at me. “Like, we already stick out enough as it is, considerin’ who we are, and that we’re all walkin’ together here.”

I guess he’s right that I’ve been gawking at everything, as soon as we stepped into the Palace. But he’s drawing attention to us too, being loud like that. So Leila rolls her eyes at him. She is less openly impressed as I am. Of course she’s spent almost a year in these surroundings not so long ago. I have only been in the Celestial Realm for a day last year. Definitely not having seen all the wonders yet.

“Ugh, really Mammon.” Asmodeus shakes his head. “You need to learn to be nicer!” He wraps his arms around our shoulders, walking in between us. “There’s no need to worry, okay? Lucifer and the other Seraphim-Archangels are up on the higher floors. And the Seraphim don’t hang out around here.”

“Yep, which makes it the perfect spot to hide when you want to skip work.” Belphegor is still holding Leila’s hand. As if he fears she will disappear on him. “Even if you don’t get to be in our House, you can still come here to see us…”

Mammon and Belphegor launch into a discussion over telling their secrets to strange angels and Asmodeus and Beelzebub roll their eyes, thinking that it’s a moot point, since they’re already showing it to us now.

“Anyway James, Leila…” Beelzebub ignores them and turns to us. “Do you know any of the other angels? If it’s someone we know, we could just take you to their place.”

“Oh, good idea. Yeah.”

Leila and I look at each other: Should we tell about Simeon and Luke? Luke seems to be very young, since he just joined the family…

“I have recently met someone named Simeon.” Leila tells them honestly, with her most innocent smile. It’s really not so long ago. This afternoon in the café, to be exact. “He’s very nice…”

“Interesting.” Belphegor looks in her eyes curiously and a bit suspiciously too, if you ask me. “Leila, you’re a friend of Simeon?”

“Yeah, he’s a good friend.” She nods. “He helped me a lot, when I had some trouble earlier…”

She can’t tell about the details of course, but it’s like Belphegor can guess what she is talking about. Without the others noticing, he touches her belly again for a second, raising an eyebrow. I’m convinced now he has a sense of what she’s been through. He pulls her protectively closer and nods to her.

“He’s a good brother.” He gives her an encouraging smile.

“Yeah.” Beelzebub smiles approvingly. “He’s our brother. The Second of our House. Out of all the Seraphim, Simeon is the most easy going. It’s why everyone loves him.”

“I wouldn’t say that he’s easygoing.” Belphegor shrugs, but there's still a small smile on his face. “It’s more that the other Seraphim are way too intense.”

“Anyway, it’s no point bringin’ them to Simeon.” Mammon says with a bit of a complaint. “Since he’s in our House. And he’s up there with the other Seraphim.”

“Exactly.” Asmodeus agrees. “We would end up being spotted before we make it to him.”

“Fat lot of good that does us…” Mammon complains, as if it’s our fault we don’t know more angels. Well, Leila does, but she decides to keep it to herself.

“It doesn’t matter…” Asmodeus stops in the middle of the hallway. “We’re already here! This is it, Leila and James. The entrance to our secret room.”

“Yep. Otherwise known as ‘the slackin’ off room’.”

We look around. Not really seeing any entrance. I jokingly start to pull on some sconces on the wall and tap against the panel, trying to find the secret button to open that entrance. Well… It’s pretty much my own fault what happens next…

“James wait.” Beelzebub tries to stop me. “That door’s…”

But it’s too late. Suddenly the panel opens and a wall of water hits me! This must be how it feels to get flushed away! There’s no way I can keep standing as I get pushed against the opposite wall. Luckily it doesn’t take that long.

“...boobytrapped…” I hear Beelzebub say. Barely keeping himself from laughing. Then I hear the others laugh too. I grin. I guess I did deserve it for not waiting until one of them would open the door...

“That was close.” Mammon stands grinning next to me. Completely dry, obviously having evaded the waterwall on time. He sticks out his hand and pulls me up.

“Oh James.” Asmodeus giggles. He’s also completely dry, just like all the others. “You’re sopping wet…”

“That’s because YOU ducked out of the way before the water hit, didn’t you Asmo?” Belphegor accuses him teasingly. His arms still wrapped around Leila. Looks like he has pulled her out of the way just in time.

“Wh… Excuse me?” Asmodeus says indignantly. “So did you!”

“Well, I had to protect Leila.” Belphegor shrugs, beaming as she gives him a kiss on his cheek in thanks.

“Y’know Beel, ya coulda WARNED us…” Mammon grumbles, stepping through the opening.

“I mean, I tried to…” Beelzebub starts his apology, but he’s interrupted.

“...How many times have I told you… In order to gain entry, you have to SAY THE SECRET PHRASE!” Another familiar voice, saying a very familiar sentence.

“First of all, do we really need a ‘secret phrase’?” Belphegor complains as he enters the secret room and makes a beeline to the bed with Leila in tow.

She protests a bit when he flops down on it with her in his arms. He isn’t letting her go, but is still gentle with her, wanting to cuddle. It’s very obvious for everyone by now, that he already claimed her to be his. She will be in the future, but do angels behave like this too, usually? It seems strange. Does he already know her? Somehow? Beelzebub as an angel seems to be extra attached to me as well, though because it’s not really in his nature to be clingy, not now or in the future, it’s less obvious. I can’t really explain it.

“Whenever you’re here, you insist that we ‘say the secret phrase’ every time we want to come inside. And it gets old…” He continues, getting a triumphant grin on his face, when she finally gives up and settles in his embrace with a bit embarrassed blush.

“Well, we never know when a Seraphim might show up, do we?” Leviathan defends himself, angrily. He’s looking very handsomely dressed. The best dressed of them all as far as Leila and I are concerned. You can see he has an officer's title of some sort here in the Celestial Realm too.

“If one shows up, I don’t think your ‘secret phrase’ is gonna stop ‘em from coming inside.” Mammon shrugs, flopping down in a chair.

“Whatever.” Leviathan grumbles annoyed by all the brothers' carelessness. “What are you even doing with that angel, Belphie? Who are these two, anyway?”

“Do you have to be so brusque, Levi?” Asmodeus sighs over the bad manners of his brother. “This is James and Leila.”

“Yeah.” Beelzebub gives me a little push towards Leviathan so I can introduce myself. “It seems they got lost on their way to the Ceremony today.”

“Lost? Really?” Leviathan now seems to be a bit worried for us. “Well, don’t worry. You can join with the next Ceremony.” He comforts us like the others did. Then he seems to think of something. “Are you sure that they aren’t angels of Michael’s? To come verify if I’m really as much of a useless waste of space as I seem to be?”

“You think you’re useless?” Leila asks him from the bed, worried. She doesn’t like the idea of Leviathan being like that as an angel too. And I agree. I always thought it was maybe because he became a demon and it was part of his Sin.

“That’s right. I belong on the Celestial Realm’s reject pile.” Leviathan sags into a chair. “Just the fact that an angel like me exists brings shame to the entire realm. I give all of angelkind a bad name.”

“Leila, this is Leviathan.” Belphegor tells her, letting her sit up again. “He commanded Lotan and the army of angels in the fight against the demons. Serving as their general, essentially.”

“But now the Celestial Realm is at peace, so yeah…”

“You think you’re only worth something if you prove it in warcraft?” She asks Leviathan again.

He looks at her curiously. “It’s all I know: Strategize. But now that skill is worthless… Making me worthless… If I don’t have a battle to fight, then I’m dead weight.”

“Leviathan, aren’t there any games you can do where you need to be strategic?” She encourages him. “Find something else to be passionate about.”

He looks at her curiously, but still shakes his head, sighing depressed. “Like what? There’s nothing that’s right for me…”

“I’m sure there’s something.” I also start to encourage him. “You could read books and manga’s. Like Leila says, play strategy games…” I get enthousiast about all the games I’m playing with him from the Human World, ignoring Leila trying to signal me.

“Interesting… You say they have this in the Human World?” Leviathan asks me enthusiastically. “This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

I see Leila facepalm and now I know why she was trying to signal me: oops! Because all of them are looking at me curiously now.

“You say this is part of Human World culture?” Belphegor asks of me suspiciously, his eyes narrowed. “I’ve never heard of anything like that before.”

“Wow, how do you know things about the Human World that even Belphie doesn’t, James? Like who ARE you…” Asmodeus looks very surprised.

But before they can interrogate us more, we hear the final familiar voice I was expecting to hear. “There you all are…” There’s an unmistakable threat in it. Kind of like I’m used to, honestly. Also like we’re used to, it startles all our angels. Demons. Angels? “Interesting how none of you are working. You all seem to have an awful lot of free time, don’t you…?” Oh yeah. It’s definitely him! Lucifer!

He looks angry. Also magnificent, just like everyone always told us. Actually not so very different from his demon future self. Only he’s an angel now. All his brothers cower as he glares around the room. Leila however looks to be very curious. I can understand why: Satan must still be a part of Lucifer in this era.

“ **Mammon!** ” He barks. Startling not only Mammon, but all of them.

“Yikes…!”

“I believe I ordered you to bring the twins to me, didn’t I? So why are you here goofing off?” Lucifer steps into the room, filling it up with his presence. After Mammon he focuses on Beelzebub. “And you, Beel… Why are you here with them? I sent you to find Belphie, but you never came back. Which is why I had to send Mammon to bring **you** back.”

“I’m sorry, Lucifer… You see…” Beelzebub starts.

“Belphie, why weren’t you at this morning’s Ceremony?” Lucifer ignores him however and turns to Belphegor. “We agreed that you would be there as one of the representatives of our House as well. What kind of impression must our new angel have of us now? You overslept again, didn’t you?”

“...Yes.”

“Asmo… I assume you know what I’m about to say?” He turns to Asmodeus now, who gasps. “You’d better take care of this situation. before you find yourself at the pointy end of Raphael’s spear.”

“Now tell me…” Lucifer finally turns his gaze on us, his features softening. “Who exactly are these angels?” He steps towards us, seemingly unable to decide on who to focus. I expected he would be like Beelzebub and immediately have a sense of recognition for me. But he seems to be distracted by Leila’s presence too. “... I’ve never seen you before.”

While his brothers explain to him what happened, he keeps looking between us. It’s like Lucifer wants to know me, but the Satan in him wants to know Leila. Wow. That must be confusing for him! It’s confusing for us too!

Leila decides to break the tension of his confusion. “I know you.” She says, looking into his eyes. I know she’s telling it to Satan, calming his annoyance like only she can. And so it is Lucifer’s Pride that reacts to it. I can see on her face that she expected that. It pains me to see the flash of sadness - It’s only there for a moment - in her eyes: Satan is not here for her yet. He is there for her in the future.

“What an odd thing to say. Of course you know me. Everyone in the Celestial Realm knows me.” Lucifer has decided between us and choses me. “So, your names are James and Leila? And you got lost on the way to your Ceremony of Souls?”

We nod. I guess we can go with that explanation, as it is what all of them believe to be the truth. We can’t tell them the real truth anyway.

“Well, don’t worry.” He smiles in a friendly way to us. “You can just join in the next one. I won’t be present for that one, however. But I’m sure you’ll find a House that matches with the both of you.”

“Oh yeah!” Mammon remembers. “You’re supposed to be heading down to the Devildom, right Lucifer?”

“What?” Leviathan asks, alarmed. “Go to the Devildom? Why?”

“The Prince of the Devildom has asked to meet with me. Apparently he’s going to be in charge from now on. So I have to go and meet with him for formality’s sake.” Lucifer sighs, obviously not looking forward to it.

“I heard his name is Diavolo.” Beelzebub adds to the conversation.

“Yes.” Lucifer nods in agreement. “I’m not thrilled about it, but it’s my job to do this sort of thing, after all. It’s quite the inconvenience. I was planning on sticking Michael with the responsibility, but he beat me to the punch.” He sounds very annoyed again, but then changes his mind about becoming angry, when he looks at us again. “Leila, James, I’ll ask Michael to help you. So don’t worry.”

“Make sure to be friendly to the Prince of the Devildom.” I tell him with a grin.

“Why should I do that?” He looks surprised at me. “You certainly are odd, aren’t you? I’ve only just met you, but for some reason it doesn’t feel like that at all…”

“Ooh, yeah.” Asmodeus beams. “I was thinking the same thing. When I talk to them, I get this feeling… like I’m talking to someone who is really, really dear to me.”

Leila smiles at him, hearing that.

“Wha? Ya mean it’s not just me?”

“Nope, I feel it too…” Beelzebub softly squeezes my hand with a smile. “Maybe we’ve all met somewhere before?”

“Maybe they resemble someone we know?” Leviathan seems to try to remember. “Could that be it?”

“It’s like…” Belphegor has wrapped his arms around Leila again, nuzzling her. “This mysterious feeling that is hard to explain…”

Suddenly everything goes white…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I was trying to write out the sense of James and Beelzebub/Lucifer feeling they belong together even over time and space. And Leila and Belphegor feeling they belong together even over time and space.  
> They can't explain it themselves. There is no real reason why the angels would feel like that, as they never met James and Leila before and won't be in forever. I hope I did a good job with it and not made it weird, hahaha!


	10. What Happened to...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some explanations and some punishments

**LeilaPOV**

Suddenly everything goes white…

“Oh dear, what a mess…” I hear another familiar voice. The last time I heard it was only a few days ago: Michael?

I’m in a bright environment. This situation, it reminds me a bit of the time I went talking with The Angel of Death. Only now I’m in the bright place where James went back then, as well. It must have something to do with our Rings. They want to talk with us. Or me? I don’t know if James is still with me. I can’t see or hear him.

I can’t see where the voice is coming from, but it doesn’t matter. I know him. “Michael?”

He laughs his pleasant laugh. “Yes it’s me.”

“Is James here too? I can’t see him.”

“James has his own dream now. He will wake up soon. I needed to talk with you, Leila…”

I’m not saying anything, but I’m feeling worried. This must mean I did something wrong, right? I don’t know what, but…

“Don’t worry.” Michael says, as if he knows what I’m feeling. “It’s not something you could have prevented. The Angel of Death had warned me about this possibility. Let me explain. You, Leila, have the Ring of Souls. And you are related to the two other wearers of the Rings. You created a Balance amongst you, enhancing some of your powers. Over the past year, you grew familiar with the use of your new powers, even if you might not even have noticed what they were…”

“I didn’t feel different after the ritual, no. While Solomon said he felt stronger and James said he could finally feel he could access his powers by himself…”

“Exactly. James shares Solomon's wisdom now and Solomon shares James' power. But you… you already had knowledge on how to use Solomon's wisdom and you already had the power you share with James. You were born with it, the same as he is. So, for you it felt like nothing had changed. Correct?”

“I guess? I didn’t mind it though. I can feel we are equals, so I think it was supposed to be this way.”

“But you did gain new powers with your Ring, Leila.” Michael laughs. “Though it is good to hear you don’t crave for more. It’s a good quality.”

“What is that new power then?” I can’t help being curious about it, anyway.

He chuckles. “Still curious, I see. It’s what I like about you. Wearing the Ring of Souls made you even more sensitive, than you already were. You must have noticed how quick you now can sense someone's true intentions, when you choose to find out. It’s good that you don’t use that power on every whim and give people the benefit of the doubt, by the way. But… That’s not all you can do... in this particular case… Do you remember what happened before you dreamed, just now?”

“Yeah, I was relaxing with Asmo. He was telling me about how it used to be for him and the others when they were all still angels.”

“Exactly!” Michael lets out a cheerful laugh. “And then?”

“I guess it crossed my mind again, that I wanted to see them how they were back then? I do that sometimes. As you might know, I can bring out their angel core, but it’s still tainted and…”

“...and you wanted to see the real angel?”

“Yeah, I guess it’s a bit weird to want something like that from a demon…” I admit, a bit embarrassed. “Asmo always tells me that I can’t make an angel out of a Fallen angel again, but… It’s just something I think about, sometimes.

“I think it’s only human, to want to see the best in people. It’s one of humanity’s best qualities. And you actually made it happen today, Leila.”

“Yeah… But how?”

“With your Ring of Souls and your pact with Barbatos, you are able to transport yours, Solomons and James soul through time. Because you three are connected through the Rings AND through your relationship as a family. You do this via dreams like this. Today, you two were sent hurtling back in time inside a dream.”

“I did that?” I ask worried. “Is that dangerous? Why was Solomon not there?”

“Solomon doesn’t have angelic ancestry. He wouldn’t be able to enter the Celestial Realm. Would you wish to go somewhere else, I’m sure he will join you as well. There are all sorts of rules and I’m sure you will figure this out along the way.” He suddenly seems to be in a hurry. “They’re trying to wake you up, I need to send you back home.”

“Will I not be breaking any rules?” I ask, still worried. “I mean, it didn’t happen on purpose.”

“When you find yourself in another one of these dreams, you can be sure that myself or the Angel of Death, or someone else that is close to you in some way, will monitor you. And pull you out when needed, just like today. So don’t worry, Leila.” He tells me comfortingly. “It’s likely that all of you will forget the events that just took place. But the effects you’ve had on them today will persist within them going forward. But… To ensure this effect doesn’t end up having negative consequences some day, I intend to keep an eye on you from now on.”

“Okay…” I guess that’s fine… Is this why Simeon and Luke are also here? I can’t help but wonder.

And then Michael says the most curious thing: “I have to think about Simeon as well, after all…” What does that mean? But before I can ask he continues. “So, back you go. To the place and time where you belong… Goodbye. Until we meet again, Leila…” And I hear his voice fading.

Until I wake up. And can’t really remember what I dreamed about. I just know it was strange, but nice and I have this feeling that I really want to cuddle with Belphegor. He’s already here, looking to cuddle with me too. They’re all here, - except for Lucifer and Leviathan, who are maybe not feeling better yet - surrounding Asmodeus' bed. Looking worried about the weird dream I couldn’t wake up from. Like last year.

“Did you dream something strange too?” James asks me. “I feel like I talked with Michael, but I can’t remember why…”

I nod. “Yeah, but it was a nice dream. Even though I can’t really remember it either…”

“Well.” Beelzebub smiles. “Looks like you’re both doing okay. Having nice dreams is always good. Especially when they’re about food. Anyway, We’re done with the bathroom cleanup.”

“Yeah, so you all can leave now and I go cuddle with Leila and James.” Asmodeus dismisses his brothers and gets pillows thrown at him afterwards. “ACK!”

“No way, I’m going to cuddle with Leila in her room.” Belphegor pulls me up in his arms and carries me out of the room and I hug him tightly. “Let’s go. We’ll cook something there for just the two of us...”

I can see Satan frown at that, but he doesn’t stop us. I’m guessing, by the look on his face, he’ll add this to my future punishment too and I wink at him, making him grin. I really just want to be alone with Belphegor right now, for some reason, but he doesn’t have to think I’ll forget about him altogether.

**James POV**

After dinner we’re hanging out in the living room. Mammon, Satan, Beelzebub and me. We haven’t seen Leila and Belphegor at all anymore. Knowing them, they’re probably already asleep, or just relaxing with Pandora in Leila’s room. Everything finally seems to be sort of normal.

“Hey, Beel… Gimme a shoulder rub.” Mammon demands from his brother with a grin. “I’m still sore from all that work at the café and cleanin’ up Asmo’s bathroom.”

Beelzebub lays stretched out over the entire sofa, looking a lot like Belphegor like this and yawns. “Not happening.”

“Aww, c’mon!” Mammon pleads. “Ya could at least think about it! You’re so good at ‘em… Pleeeease, Beel? Do it for Mammon?”

Beelzebub just rolls his eyes and then closes them, planning to take an after dinner nap. But Mammon doesn’t give up on it yet.

“If ya do a good job, I’ll give ya some Devildom’s best demon zebra’s churros as a reward…”

Beelzebub grins and sits up. “Fine…”

He motions for mammon to sit in front of him on a footstool and soon Mammon is very much enjoying his massage. “Ooooh yeeah! Mm, yeah, right there…! That feels SOOO good!”

Satan rolls his eyes over all the noise Mammon makes. He looks up from his book. “Beel, you shouldn’t humor Mammon so much.”

“Whatever.” Beelzebub shrugs unconcerned. “As long as I get churros out of this, I don’t care.”

But Satan isn’t done with his lecture. “Beel, you could stand to learn some self-restraint as-”

He’s interrupted by the roar of his name, reverberating through the House. “ **SAAATAAAAN!** ” And then Lucifer appears in the living room. Feeling obviously much better after taking Leila’s medicine. I wonder why he is so angry, though. “So this is where you are. My **sweet adorable little brother** …”

Startled, Satan jumps up from his chair, ready to take off as soon as he sees an opening. “I just remembered I have some place to be…”

“What’s the hurry, Satan? I heard you transferred your ailments onto Lord Diavolo…” Lucifer's voice is threatening, as they circle each other, like two cats about to fly into a fight. Lucifer is trying to corner Satan, but he won’t let him. “For this kind of treason, you have to be punished. You understand.”

“He deserved nothing less, after what he did to us. I have no regrets and would do it again.” Satan growls, stalking around the room, not taking his eyes off of Lucifer’s. “I told you, I take any punishment you got for me. But I won’t make it easy on you.”

Beelzebub, Mammon and I look at the scene with bated breath. Under normal circumstances Satan wouldn’t stand a chance. But Lucifer still seems to be recovering. Or is he giving Satan a chance to escape? Suddenly Satan sees an opening and speeds out of the room.

“Wait! I’m not letting you get away…!” We see a small smile on Lucifer’s face for a moment as he does a halfheartedly attempt to chase him. “Oh well, at least I tried. I can tell Diavolo I did my best…” And he walks out of the room again. “I’m hungry, is there something left from dinner?” He mumbles and makes his way towards the kitchen.

“So wait…” Mammon sits there bewildered with us with big eyes. “What just happened? Did we just see Lucifer lettin’ Satan get away with poisonin’ Diavolo?”

“I dunno?” I wonder too. “It kind of looked like that, right?”

“Well, I’m going to check on Belphie.” Beelzebub says, looking worried. “He didn’t come down for dinner…”

“No, you are not.” I tell him sternly. “Did you forget Leila has a kitchen in her room? They already ate and now spend some quality time as a family with Pandora.”

“Oh, right…” Beelzebub seems to remember. “They won’t be doing that all the time, right?” He asks worried.

“Of course not, Beel!” Mammon slaps him on the back. “They just have to make up for fightin’ earlier.”

“Okay… In that case, let’s check up on Levi.” Beelzebub suggests.

Mammon nods. “Yeah, good idea. Is he okay, or what? We haven’t seen him all day.”

“Exactly, I called him through the door, but there was no answer.”

“Let’s go check.” I say to them. “I’m worried…”

Mammon agrees with me. “Yeah… He’d better not be dead in there, or I’ll kill him…”

A bit later, Mammon is banging on Leviathan's door unceremoniously, like only Mammon can. “Yo, Levi! You’re in there, right?!”

“Answer us, Levi!” Beelzebub helps him. “Leila made some medicine.”

But there is no answer. Nothing but silence.

“Oy! Levi!” Mammon knocks harder. “Don’t tell me you’re actually in trouble…?”

Without thinking more about it, I kick down the door. Making both Beelzebub and Mammon look at me as if I transformed into a demon.

“James, What-”

“Whoaa...!”

“What?” I ask them with a grin, seeing their faces. “I can have a temper like Leila, when I choose to. You never noticed? She would have blasted that door, already. But even though I can’t do that yet, I do have the strength to do this...” I shrug and step through the doorway.

Mammon follows me in. “Oh Leviii? It’s your older brotheeer… How about ya come out and play, hm?”

We’re greeted with a growl. “Gr…! Don’t talk to me!” Excuse me?! I frown at Leviathan, sitting behind his gaming screens. Looking perfectly healthy, playing a shooting game. “I’m at the best part!”

“Wha?” Mammon stands there with his hands on his hips, looking more impatient by the second, seeing a healthy Leviathan ignoring us and our worries.

“Levi…” Beelzebubs facial expression isn’t much different from mine and Mammons. “What’re you doing?”

“Isn’t it obvious?!” Leviathan yells at us as if we’re a huge bother to him. “I’m playing an FPS! You know, a First-Person shooter!” He adds in a condescending tone of voice, not noticing how I’m starting to glare at him, as he keeps shooting his virtual enemies. “Come on...come one come on come on!” Then suddenly he throws his hands up in the air in triumph, cheering. “I did it…! I DID IT! MISSION COMPLETE! YEEEAH!” He turns to us with a beaming smile. “Ugh, I’ve been playing all night against the number one ranked player of the Human World, who is crazy good… I suppose you could say we’re ‘war buddies’ at this point. I’d even say we have quite the budding friendship…”

“Seriously?!” Mammon growls.

“Man, what an incredible feeling! I feel so fulfilled. So...so alive!” Leviathan holds up his hands for us to high five.

But instead of doing that, Beelzebub squeezes my shoulder encouragingly. “...James, feel free to do your thing.”

“Yeah.” Mammon crosses his arms, glaring at Leviathan. “Make sure he REALLY feels it.”

I don’t really need their permission. I feel like I'm stepping into Leila’s personality when she’s really getting pissed: Leviathan had us worried all day, making us think he was so sick he couldn’t even answer the door!

“Levi…” I say, my voice threatening, as I poke him in his chest. “We were worried for you. We thought you were really hurting by Solomon’s cooking, like the others were. Instead, you ignored our worries and decided to play with your new ‘war buddy’, locked up in your room… Well… If you like that so much better than the REAL world, I guess you can STAAAAY RIGHT HERE!!”

Leviathan freezes in place, in reaction to my command. “G’AAAAH!! I’m sorry, James!”

But I don’t want to hear it and turn on my heels, marching out of his room with a grinning Mammon and Beelzebub in tow. Leila can let Leviathan out of his room tomorrow, when he has time to think over his actions. Seriously! Am I a baby-sitter or something?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe. Maybe I like it a bit too much to give out punishments to these demons... ;)


End file.
